The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) discovered several line charges of C4 explosive during a recent search operation in the newly-liberated areas in southern Syria, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on February 27.
Experts said that these charges are of the M58A3 type, which is a part of the US-made M58 Mine Clearing Line Charge (MICLIC) system. Each line charge is more than 106meters long. They are usually deployed with the assist of a MK22 Mod 4 rocket. The MICLIC was designed to provide a “close-in” demining capability for the U.S. Army.
M58A3 line charges of the MICLIC system.
The US-led Military Operations Center (MOC) in Jordan supplied several Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups in southern Syria with the MICLIC system few years ago. The groups used the system almost exclusively as an offensive weapon against the SAA’s positions in the southern city of Daraa, mainly in 2017 and 2018.
US-backed fighters deploying the MICLIC system in Daraa in 2018.
M58A3 line charges of the MICLIC system found by the SAA south of the city of Daraa in 2018.
The SAA’s recent search operations in southern Syria has revealed the true scale of the U.S. support for armed groups there. Despite this support, they failed to hold onto their positions for more than few weeks when the army launched its final attack last year.
