Donkey ‘animal shield’

Israeli troops open fire on a donkey carrying explosives in the southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border, exploding the apparent improvised bomb after the IDF warns of unorthodox tactics such as using animals to carry out bomb attacks. Army spokesman:

They used this donkey as a human shield, or an animal shield, if you like. Anything, an animal or an international building, that can help make use of innocent people or international [citizens], they will use it. We see it time and again

The IDF says in blog posting that it first encountered animal-borne attacks in 1995 when a Palestinian rode an explosives-laden donkey cart towards an IDF position west of Khan Younis and detonated the explosives, and says Hamas has increased the use of animals in later clashes, including donkeys, horses and dogs.