North Korean likely to adopt Iraq-type "insurgent tactics" in case conventional war with South

Washington, June 26 (ANI): The American general leading US forces in South Korea has warned the South Korean military against a North Korean guerrilla war, and asked them to utilize US forces' counterinsurgency tactics gained in Iraq and Afghanistan.

General Walter Sharp told South Korea that "our enemies" would likely use improvised explosive devices and similar tactics if a ground war broke out, and the US ally should be prepared by conducting a realistic training.

"I believe we will face IEDs and insurgent forces in addition to large conventional attacks. We must immediately begin preparing both ROK [Republic of Korea] and US forces to improve our capabilities in these areas," the Christian Science Monitor quoted General Sharp, as saying.North Korea is watching and I am convinced that discussing and demonstrating the strength, capabilities, and leadership of the ROK army is the best deterrence," he added.

Though an all-out ground war on the Korean peninsula is highly unlikely, but in that eventuality any country trying to strike the US or its allies, and finding itself at a clear military disadvantage, is likely to begin to adapt the kinds of insurgent tactics that have proved effective in Afghanistan and Iraq, the report says.

Tensions have risen between North Korea and the international community, as the nuclear-armed nation continues its sabre rattling and provocative rhetoric.

Recently, North Korea said it would "wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all" if the US began a war.

One of the North's few military strengths lies in its inventory of ballistic missiles. But the North does possess a reasonably effective special-forces component, the report quoted Victor Cha, a former member of the National Security Council, as saying.

"There is always concern that in some sort of situation like that, there could be a terrorist incident by Special Forces or the use of dirty bombs," Cha said. (ANI)