Earlier this month, shortly after the United States withdrew troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban took control of the entire country, a photograph started getting circulated on social media. The viral photo shows Taliban fighters driving a Tesla Cybertruck loaded with arms and ammunitions.
Since then many have been questioning how the Tesla Cybertruck reached there and if the Taliban are trained enough to handle the truck. At the same time many have been claiming how the Taliban have mastered using a cybertruck as an armored vehicle. However, truth is that the image being circulated is digitally modified and is not a Tesla Cybertruck.
The Origin and Claim
It is known that the Taliban didn't take much time to lay their hands on the weapons, aircraft and armored vehicles left behind by the US troops before leaving Kabul. Since then they have captured a number of choppers like Black Hawks and Humvees.
However, one photograph started getting circulated online that showed a few Taliban fighters atop a Tesla cybertruck. A second photograph was also shared online that showed Taliban fighters driving a Tesla car.
No sooner did the photos made their way to the Internet, social media users started a debate. While some started poking more fun at the Biden administration for even giving away the Taliban with not only high-profile weapons but also the latest Tesla Cybertrucks, many started wondering how the Taliban would now look more powerful after even managing to capture Tesla Cybertrucks.
At the same time, many started raising doubts about the authenticity of the news and photograph. Also many wondered if Tesla supplies its products in Afghanistan.
The Truth
Fact is that many on social media were fooled by the images. Truth is that the Taliban did capture several armored vehicles after the US troops lift but not Tesla Cybertrucks because the American soldiers never used Tesla vehicles in Afghanistan. Also, Tesla doesn't supply Cybertrucks in Afghanistan.
The photographs being circulated are actually doctored and was digitally modified and changed into a Tesla Cybertruck. The image being circulated was actually created from a photograph taken by Rahmat Gul for The Associated Press.
The actual photograph was actually taken on August 16, just a day after the Taliban captured Kabul and the US troops were still in the process of withdrawing.
The caption of the original photo read: "Taliban fighters stand guard in front of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. Thousands of people packed into the Afghan capital's airport on Monday, rushing the tarmac and pushing onto planes in desperate attempts to flee the country after the Taliban overthrew the Western-backed government. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)'
The other photograph where the Taliban fighters are seen on a Tesla car was originally taken from a photo taken by the the European Photography Agency on August 16 and the caption reads: "Taliban fighters are seen on the back of a vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan."
Thus both photos are completely doctored and the claims totally false.
