Fighters from the Islamic State (ISIS) are weaponizing commercially available drones and using them against Iraqi forces in and around Mosul.
U.S. Colonel Brett Sylvia told AFP the practice involves small munitions no larger than a hand grenade.
"They are small drones with small munitions that they've been dropping," Sylvia said, adding the airborne grenades are enough to conduct "indiscriminate killing."
U.S. troops helping to retake Mosul, a city situated in northern Iraq, have been able to shoot down many of the armed drones before they can drop their deadly payload, Military.com reported. Some of them, however, have escaped being shot down and have caused Iraqi casualties on the ground.
The fight for Mosul, which began in October, has been slower than expected. Iraqi forces, according to AFP, have taken back 80 percent of the eastern side of the city from ISIS. The western side, however, remains largely in the control of the terror group.
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