Taliban Showcase Their Special Forces, Badri Combat Union 313

PARIS, KOMPAS.TV – The Taliban flaunt their own “special forces” on social media. They are soldiers in new uniforms equipped with US loot equipment which is in stark contrast to the image of ordinary Afghan insurgents who only wear turbans, dress loosely and wear sandals, as reported by the news agency. France24, Wednesday (25/08/2021).

Pictures and videos of fighters in the so-called “Badri 313” troop were uploaded online for propaganda purposes. The post, experts say, underscores how the Taliban now have more combat equipment and train people at their disposal than in the past.

The Taliban commandos are shown in uniforms, boots, balaclavas and body armor similar to those of special forces around the world — and unlike previous images of Taliban troops wearing traditional shalwar kameez, turbans and sandals.

Instead of worn out Russian-designed Kalashnikov rifles slung over their shoulders, Badri 313’s men wielded newer US-made rifles like the M4, sometimes with glasses. night-vision and gunsights advanced. All loot of US military equipment.

Badri’s 313th force “probably represents some of the most trained and equipped personnel in the broader Taliban group, although there is a sort of sensational smell to the unit’s propaganda coverage by the group,” Matt Henman of defense consultancy Janes told AFP as reported France24.

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A Western weapons expert who wrote anonymously on Twitter under the pseudonym Caliber Obscura said the unit would not be compatible with Western special forces, or India or Pakistan.

But, “they are more effective than the normal Taliban and certainly more than the standard Afghan national army forces from a few weeks ago,” he said.

Named from the battle of Badr 1,400 years ago, when the Prophet Muhammad SAW allegedly defeated his enemies with just 313 soldiers, this Taliban unit could number up to several thousand people, experts said.

The amount of equipment they had was unclear, but some online images showed a number of happy Taliban fighters posing with looted armored Humvees, including planes and weapons left behind by the US-armed Afghan national army.

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