Turkey’s sought-after combat drones win wars, but risk starting them

The central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan finally managed to gain an edge over Tajikistan in an ongoing border dispute. In late 2021, it obtained three coveted Turkish Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial combat drones armed with precision missiles that could take out any encroaching armour. That, officials assured the public, would help fend off any incursions by its neighbour.

But not so fast.

Just months later, Turkey agreed to sell the very same drones to Tajikistan, potentially providing Dushanbe with parity in any further military encounters. Outraged officials in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, rang up Ankara.


​​“They answered that it was just business,” Kyrgyz deputy foreign minister Jeenbek Kulubaev explained to lawmakers in April.