Afghan militants developing cheaper, deadlier bombs to hit international troops

KABUL - In a bid to cause maximum damage to international troops stationed in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda and Taliban militants are developing new, more sophisticated and more powerful roadside bombs.

Underground bomb-making cells in Wardak Province of Afghanistan are creating more devastating bombs, whilst peace talks with the Taliban-led insurgency remain in their infancy.

According to a Sky News report, at least 10kgs of explosives had been packed into a group of jerry cans and each had its own black box with individual frequency codes plus an antenna.ut rather than using mobile phones to trigger the explosives - as often done in the past - these bombs are detonated using a device similar to a radio scanner, it says.

The attacker punches in the corresponding numbers into the scanner and can set off the bomb whenever he wants, it adds.

It works from between 500 metres and one kilometre away.

According to a militant commander, these are more accurate bombs and not vulnerable to the military jamming systems, which often disable mobile phones.

“The bombs are very cheap. They only cost about $100, but they are very effective. And we can use the scanner again and again,” the commander who identified himself as Kamran said.(ANI)