The Missile Mystery: Unraveling Afghanistan's Military Might

Afghanistan has had a long and complex history with missiles. The country has been the recipient of missiles from various sources, including the United States, Russia, and Iran, and has also been a launchpad for missile attacks.

One notable incident involving missiles in Afghanistan occurred in July 2020 when a rarely seen anti-tank missile destroyed a helicopter in the country's south. This attack raised concerns about the arming of the Taliban and the potential supply of weapons by Iran.

Additionally, Afghanistan has been a recipient of missile technology from various sources throughout its history. During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s, the CIA provided the mujahideen with Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which played a critical role in their success against Soviet forces. However, following the war, efforts have been made to recover these missiles, as there are concerns they could end up in the hands of terrorist groups.

The Afghan Air Force, established in 1921, has also possessed and utilized a range of missiles over the years. While the force suffered significant losses during the US-led invasion in 2001, it has since been rebuilt with support from the US and other countries, acquiring advanced aircraft and missile systems.

In summary, Afghanistan's history with missiles is multifaceted, involving both the receipt and launch of missiles, as well as complex international dynamics and efforts to control the proliferation of missile technology in the region.

The Taliban's access to anti-tank missiles

US and Afghan officials claimed that the weapons were "likely" supplied by Iran, although no evidence was provided to support this assertion. Iran has denied supplying weapons to the Taliban. Anti-tank guided missiles are common in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, but they have been rare in Afghanistan, according to US military officials.

The proliferation of anti-tank missiles among terrorist organisations across the Middle East has become a growing concern in recent years. US-made anti-tank missiles captured from military bases and weapons caches have become commonplace among certain terrorist organisations, including ISIS.

The US's use of Hellfire missiles in Afghanistan

The AGM-114 Hellfire missile is an American air-to-surface missile that was first developed for anti-armor use and later developed for precision drone strikes. The missile was initially developed under the name "Heliborne laser, fire-and-forget missile", which led to the colloquial name "Hellfire". It has a multi-mission, multi-target precision-strike ability and can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms. The missile is the primary 100-pound (45 kg) class air-to-ground precision weapon for the armed forces of the United States and many other nations.

The Hellfire missile was used by the US in Afghanistan to target the Afghanistan offshoot of the Islamic State extremist group. The missile was also used in Afghanistan to kill Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of Al-Qaeda, in 2022. The missile has been used in Afghanistan to minimize collateral damage to civilians and non-targets. The R9X variant of the missile, also known as the "Ninja" or "Flying Ginsu" missile, is a modified version of the Hellfire missile that uses blades instead of explosives to minimize collateral damage. The R9X variant has been used in Afghanistan to target specific human targets.

The CIA's supply of Stinger missiles to Islamist fighters

Prior to the introduction of the Stinger, the mujahideen lacked an effective means of countering the Soviet air power, which played a crucial role in supporting ground operations and conducting airstrikes. The Soviet helicopters and aircraft had relatively free reign, providing close air support and carrying out attacks with impunity. This air superiority allowed the Soviets to maintain a significant advantage over the mujahideen forces.

Recognizing the need to counter this air power, the CIA began a covert program to supply the mujahideen with Stingers. The Stinger missile system, developed by the United States, is a highly effective MANPADS that can target aircraft and helicopters at relatively long ranges. With a powerful warhead and infrared homing capabilities, the Stinger could easily destroy or disable aircraft, making it a significant threat to Soviet air operations.

The CIA's program involved not only supplying the missiles but also providing training to the mujahideen on how to effectively use and maintain them. The agency worked closely with the Pakistani intelligence service, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to facilitate the transfer of missiles and ensure their distribution to the various mujahideen factions. The first Stingers were introduced in 1986, and their impact was immediate and significant.

With the Stinger, the Islamist fighters were able to target and bring down Soviet helicopters and aircraft with much greater frequency. The mujahideen's ability to challenge Soviet air power forced the Soviets to adopt more cautious tactics and significantly reduced the effectiveness of their air support. This had a direct impact on the Soviet ground forces, who now faced a more formidable opponent. The introduction of the Stinger is often credited as a major turning point in the war, helping to shift the balance of power in favor of the mujahideen and ultimately contributing to the Soviet decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.

The use of missiles by the Mujahideen against the Soviets

The Soviet–Afghan War was fought between 1979 and 1989 and saw extensive fighting between the Soviet Union and the Mujahideen. The Mujahideen were backed by various countries and organizations, but the majority of their support came from Pakistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Iran, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

The Mujahideen obtained weapons from many sources, mostly supplied by foreign sources, such as the Central Intelligence Agency’s Operation Cyclone, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, and the United Kingdom, and channeled through Pakistan. Many weapons were also captured from the Soviet Army or the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

The Mujahideen used a variety of weapons, including semi-automatic pistols, rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and anti-aircraft missiles. One of the most notable weapons used by the Mujahideen was the US-supplied Stinger missile, which played a significant role in boosting their ability to fight back against Soviet forces.

The Stinger missile is a shoulder-held, heat-seeking missile that was first introduced to the Mujahideen in 1986. It proved to be a game-changer in the conflict, as it allowed the Mujahideen to effectively target Soviet helicopters and challenge Soviet control of the airspace. The Stinger missiles were so effective that the US conducted a “buy-back” program in the 1990s to keep unused missiles from falling into the hands of terrorists.

The successful use of the Stinger missiles contributed to the Mujahideen's ability to shoot down Soviet aircraft and frustrate their air reconnaissance missions. The Stingers forced Soviet aircraft to fly at higher altitudes, reducing their accuracy in ground attacks. The introduction of the Stinger missiles was a turning point in the war, as it changed the course of the conflict and boosted the morale of the Mujahideen.

While there is some debate about the impact of the Stinger missiles on the overall outcome of the war, it is clear that they played a crucial role in the Mujahideen's ability to challenge Soviet air superiority and inflict casualties on their opponents. The use of Stinger missiles by the Mujahideen against the Soviets was a significant development that had a lasting impact on the conflict.

The Taliban's crackdown on independent media

The Taliban has shut down dozens of local radio stations, newspapers, and broadcasters in the districts they have captured. Other media outlets have closed out of fear of Taliban reprisals, with many journalists fleeing their homes or going into hiding. The Taliban has been blamed for killing dozens of reporters and media workers in recent years.

The few outlets allowed to operate have been forced to broadcast Taliban propaganda. They have been banned from airing music or women's voices. News reports have been replaced by Taliban-approved bulletins, recitations from the Koran, and Islamic sermons.

The Taliban has issued 11 rules for journalists to follow, including not publishing content that goes against Islam. Taliban supreme leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada has warned reporters that they will be punished for defaming government officials. The Afghanistan Journalists Center has tracked 160 cases since 2021 where the Taliban has detained journalists in prison for violating Taliban rules. Over 50% of media outlets have shut down, and many international news broadcasts have been banned. Afghan news outlets that remain in business report being censored.

Journalists who cross the Taliban's red line have been arrested, jailed, beaten in custody, or threatened and harassed. Women journalists have faced further restrictions. The Taliban banned nearly all women from the workforce when they returned to power, leading to a financial crisis for families where women were the primary earners. A report from the International Federation of Journalists found that 95% of Afghan women journalists have become unemployed.

In May, the Taliban imposed more rules on women journalists, announcing that women broadcasters would have to cover their faces while on air. The Taliban's crackdown on journalists appears to be intensifying, with new restrictions on female journalists' appearances, and a ban on some women accessing radio and TV programs.

The crackdown means that some of the country's most important stories are going unreported, and its citizens are left uninformed. With many outlets either shut down or censored, more Afghans are getting their news through social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

Frequently asked questions