The New York Times C.J. Chivers is in Syria and he's stumbled upon an age-old tactic that's having a devastating effect on Syrian rebel forces.
Called "spiked ammunition," it features a concoction of powder inside a bullet that causes the bullet to explode once the rifle firing pin strikes the round.
As Chivers points out, it's maiming Syrians and destroying their weapons. Not only are fighters left unable to pull a trigger, but their hard-sought after weapons are destroyed in the process.
This truly brutal tactic was used by the U.S. during World War II, reports Chivers, as well as by U.S. Blackwater contractors in Iraq.
Watch:
C.J. Chivers is the award winning author of "The Gun." He is a former U.S. Marine infantry officer and military small-arms expert.
SEE ALSO: Russia's likely using missiles as a way to smuggle personnel into Syria >
Please follow Military & Defense on Twitter and Facebook.