LTTE's Rare Infantry Weapons

by. Defencewire

(November,17, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Black Tiger suicide squad that attacked the Anuradhapura Airbase was using some startlingly sophisticated weapons, some of which are almost never sold to guerilla movements. Many weapons, including Rocket propelled Grenade-Launchers had US made EOtech HOLOsight holographic Target Acquisition Systems valued around USD 500-1000. Some guns were equipped with Chinese Night Vision Monocular. The RPG-7s carried by the LTTE Black Tigers also has HOLOsight, which is unusual to a guerrilla arsenal. All weapons, except for the EOtech HOLOsight are Chinese. These include the Type 69-1 Chinese RPG-7 with EOtech, RPG Type 61, Type 85 silenced with Tokarev 7.65x25mm ammunition magazines, Type 82 SMG 9mm, and the QBZ-97 SMG. The most startling observation is the acquisition of the QBZ-97/95 by the LTTE. QBZ-95 in the hands of the LTTE would be controversial because 5.6mm ammunition used for the weapon is only used and produced in China. QBZ-95 cannot exist outside of China except in Cambodia and Burma where it is widely used. We can therefore assume that one or both of those two countries or private suppliers in those countries is a supplier of weapons to the LTTE.