US Military Will Combat ISIS-K By Using Drone Strikes, Claims Expert

A drone expert said that American military officials might combat Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) through the use of drone strikes following the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

Amid evacuations at Kabul's airport, one of the first strikes happened last week in response to a bombing that killed more than 10 US service members. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by ISIS-K. American authority said that the strike hit a vehicle that was carrying an ISIS-K target who was apparently plotting future terror attacks. This indicates a new method of conducting warfare against terror groups, especially in remote places, said drone expert Brett Velicovich.

The former Army intelligence specialist told Fox News, "I think it definitely has to be the way we conduct strikes against them, unfortunately, because we don't have enough guys on the ground. I do think they're going to wage a campaign from the air going forward."

Over the years, drones, with their ability to collect crucial surveillance, engage with enemy targets and live video stream for troops on the ground, have brought about changes in the way warfare is conducted. While the usage of drones reduces the numbers of troops, people on the ground are still required to deny or confirm a lot of information, said Velicovich.

It's unclear how such strikes against ISIS-K will work in Afghanistan where the Taliban have taken over.

According to the expert, the drone attack against al-Qaeda in Pakistan worked because the group's senior leaders were concentrated in the area.

For Velicovich, the concern is sharing of gathered details with the Taliban, who he will always consider the enemy. He had doubts if they would give information to the US to strike a political enemy of theirs instead of an ISIS-K member.

Meanwhile, the Taliban have been photographed grinning and posing in fighter planes left behind by the US in Kabul, according to The Sun. They rode on the bonnets of US Air Force Humvees and sat in the cockpits of gunships hours after US troops left Afghanistan. In one photo, a Taliban fighter is seen taking photos of the ruined choppers while others are spotted checking out the inside of an American Air Force jet.