Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — The Syrian military and its allies have been using
unmanned aerial vehicles in the war against Sunni rebels.

Rebel sources said Syria as well as Hizbullah and Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps were using UAVs in the latest offensive against
Sunni militias. They said the tactical UAVs were produced in Iran and
Russia.

“In virtually every major ground operation, we see UAVs conducting
reconnaissance,” a source said.

The Free Syrian Army has confirmed the UAV operations for the regime of
Syrian President Bashar Assad. FSA political coordinator Louay Mekdad said the rebel force was learning how to deal with the unmanned platforms, but did not elaborate.

The sources said the Assad regime introduced UAVs in early 2012. They
said the first UAVs were believed to have been supplied by Russia, the
leading military ally of Damascus.

Iran soon joined in UAV operations. The sources identified some of the
UAVs as the Ababil, also operated by Hizbullah.

The sources said Assad’s Army and Air Force were using UAVs for both
reconnaissance as well as battle damage assessment. They said the platforms
helped enhance artillery and rocket operations.

  Ababil UAV, Assad using drones from Iran, Free Syrian Army, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Russia against Syrian rebels