The Taliban's Drone Manufacturing Program

themiddleeastuncovered.com

3 pointsalephnerd5 comments

> The Taliban are attempting to develop armed drones.

I think it's safe to assume that every militant group with more than one or two members is doing so.

The difference is the scale [0] at which they are manufacturing [1] now that the Taliban control Afghanistan, as well as the fact that Afghan media is report "international engineers from countries including Turkey, Russia, Belarus, Bangladesh, and China" [1] as well as India [2] are collaborating on the project.

[0] - https://thediplomat.com/2026/03/why-is-afghanistan-developin...

[1] - https://en.didpress.com/16426/?ut

[2] - https://www.afintl.com/202606200748

Someone's always gonna be first, but that's not gonna be a difference for long.

> Aug 28, 2025

Needs this in the title.

> While Afghanistan has seen no active combat since August 2021

^ this was the giveaway

In terms of strategic impact so far, I'd say the program has been a bust:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Afghanistan%E2%80%93Pakis...

Not exactly. Most of those drones are being used fairly effectively by the Taliban's Pakistan branch [0].

Most reporting on the war is being overshadowed by Iran or being done in Dari or Pakhtu.

[0] - https://southasianvoices.org/sec-m-pk-r-ttp-drone-threat-06-...

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