Calibre Obscura

An interview with one of the most prolific and well-known rebel ATGM operators in Syria, or indeed globally.

Thermal and Night vision optics have been a factor in combat in Syria for years, but ever since the Winter 2019-Spring 2020 fighting which saw opposition factions lose large quantities of territory, the ability to fight at night (or lack of) has come into sharp relief for factions there, in

I have covered the weaponry and capabilities of the Islamic State's Wilayah West Africa in extensive detail throughout this series of article. This has consisted of pieces regarding the arsenal of ISWA in 2018 [https://www.calibreobscura.com/the-weaponary-of-is-west-africa-boko-haram/] and 2019 [https://www.calibreobscura.com/the-weaponary-of-is-west-africa-boko-haram/], (in I which predicted

The presence of the Islamic state in Mozambique is something that is widely discussed and almost as widely denied [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56773012] until recently. However at this stage, following the devastating onslaught of ISIS "Central Africa Province" on multiple towns including that of Mocímboa da Praia

This is the second part of a short series covering in some detail the proliferation of curious (and non-native) weapons in the North Caucasus. It is strongly recommended that Part 1 is read first: https://www.calibreobscura.com/exotic-species-of-the-north-caucasus-pt-1/ Internal strife between moderate nationalists and more radical Jihadists (with a

When speaking of extremist groups in Nigeria, the name that comes to mind immediately is the moniker of "Boko Haram", the erroneous term used to describe offshoots of the movement started and led by Mohammed Yusuf before he met his end outside a police headquarters in Maiduguri. However, the story

The collapse of the once great Soviet state, was in fact, a foregone conclusion by 1988, when the republics of the USSR began to gradually proclaim the supremacy of their laws over the Union ones. It didn't take long - the August coup [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Soviet_

The rapid takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban exploded the proliferation of weapons captured from the former ANA (Afghan National Army), ANP (Afghan National Police), NDS (National Directorate of Security), and other former government armed formations. The US and its western allies exit from Afghanistan and the subsequent collapse of

The Islamic State in East Asia (ISEA) is a branch of ISIS that is unique in many ways, from its weaponry and location of operations, to its membership. ISEA is active in the Philippines and other countries in South East Asia (such as Indonesia), but in this article I will

Over the long period of the Syrian Civil War, one particular weapons system has become the most prominent on the side of opposition and rebel forces. This is the ATGM or the Anti-Tank Guided Missile. However, the topic of ATGM use has been amply covered by multiple writers so I’

Following on from my previous work in 2018, in this post we'll be taking another look at the sale and use of suppressors in the Middle East among non-state groups. There's various technical aspects and occurances that I have discovered since my original post, this will attempt to cover them.

Whilst the various armed conflicts of militant and separatist groups across the Middle East and South East Asia are widely covered in multiple languages, in particular the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, multiple smaller conflicts are ongoing. One of these is the ongoing efforts of multiple armed groups in

Since the greatly publicised downfall of the caliphate in Spring 2019 in Baghuz, Syria, the Islamic State has undergone a no less publicised shift to the "post-caliphate" stage- namely a wide ranging insurgency in its former areas, as well as a greater focus on exernal affiliates in both media and

Whilst media outlets and the public at large usually associate the Islamic State with the Middle East and to a lesser extent it's branches in countries such as Afghanistan or Pakistan, one of the main areas of ISIS activity recently is in Africa.

Even prior to the destruction of the physical caliphate of the Islamic State in 2019, the group has reverted to a familiar tactic- that of covert guerrilla warfare. These actions are taking place over a wide area near the group's original base of power- namely Iraq and Syria. In this

Analysing the Islamic State in West Africa- an marauding force increasingly armed with capable and modern arms.

The Bullpup Kalashnikov conversion is one of the most popular and esoteric firearms to have arisen from the Syrian Conflict. Whilst these guns are applauded and disparaged in almost equal quantities on social media, little is known about their origin, functionality and history. In this post, I will attempt to

Back in the late Spring/Early Summer of 2018 I never expected Calibre Obscura to turn into what it is seems to be. In fact, I'm not completely sure when exactly I decided to write my first post on suppressor use by Insurgents in the Middle East, but it was

On 15th January 2019, ISIS West Africa, also known as IS WA, or Wilyat West Africa, released a new video showing various attacks against the Nigerian Military that occured in late 2018, essentially the last two months of that year. These raids occured in Northeastern Nigeria. Whilst this branch of