News
Military shoots down civilian drone
Troops on Kinmen shot down a Chinese civilian-operated drone today, the first such shootdown since Taiwan ordered a more robust response to unauthorised incursions.
The Kinmen Defense Command said soldiers stationed on the county's Shi Island detected an unidentified Chinese drone flying in restricted areas near its outpost at 12:03 yesterday.
In accordance with its four-step rules of engagement for drone encounters, soldiers first fired warning flares and live rounds in an attempt to expel it.
However, as the drone continued to hover, soldiers ultimately shot the aircraft down.
The command provided no further details on how many shots were fired or the kind of weapons used.
Previously, Taiwanese troops only fired warning flares and live rounds in response to such incursions, and refrained from more aggressive countermeasures, such as shooting the drones down, to avoid further escalating cross-strait tensions.
