The "technical" apparently now an institutionalized weapon of war NOT merely a field-expedient ad hoc weapons system!
A pickup truck with a heavy crew-served weapon mounted in the bed. Often that weapon a Dashka Soviet era heavy machine-gun.
"Technical is a neologism for a light improvised fighting vehicle, typically an open-backed civilian pickup truck or four-wheel drive vehicle mounting a machine gun, anti-aircraft gun, rotary cannon, anti-tank weapon, ATGM, mortar, multiple rocket launcher, recoilless rifle or other support weapon, somewhat like a light military gun truck."
1. "U.S. to Give Some Syria Rebels Ability to Call Airstrikes"
"After training, moderate rebels to get pickups with gear to call for American B-1B bombers"
"WASHINGTON—The U.S. has decided to provide pickup trucks equipped with machine guns and radios for calling in U.S. airstrikes to some moderate Syrian rebels, defense officials said."
2. "Iran’s Latest Tactic Against Islamic State — Send in the Battle Buggies That’s one way to swarm the enemy"
"Minimally-trained irregular troops can deploy the swift little vehicles to strike and even surround the enemy in an urban environment — like a swarm of insects."
3. "Artillery: Magical Mortars Appear In Syria"
An EIMOS 81 mm mortar. The total package. That mortar having built-in recoil mechanism.
Further according to the wiki and regarding the Toyota Hilux pickup truck and the suitability of same as a technical:
"Due to its durability and reliability, the Toyota Hilux, along with the larger Toyota Land Cruiser, has become popular among militant groups in war-torn regions as a 'technical' . . . the Hilux is 'the vehicular equivalent of the AK-47. It's ubiquitous to insurgent warfare'."
Suddenly everybody wants a technical. Barkeeper, technicals for everyone!!
coolbert.