Turkey has reportedly expanded its exports of armed combat drones, negotiating sales agreements with Morocco and Ethiopia following their successful use in international conflicts. Four separate sources confirmed to Reuters the existence of these export deals.
Any shipment of drones to Ethiopia risks stoking friction in already strained relations between Ankara and Cairo, which is in a hot dispute with Addis Ababa over its plan to build a hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, which could jeopardize water supplies downstream.
Two Egyptian security sources said Cairo had asked the United States and some European nations to help it freeze any deal. A third Egyptian source said any deal would have to be raised and clarified in talks between Cairo and Ankara as they try to repair ties.
Turkey, Ethiopia and Morocco have not formally announced any agreement on armed drones, but several sources familiar with the deals provided details to Reuters.
A Turkish official said both Ethiopia and Morocco had requested to purchase Bayraktar TB2 drones in deals that could also include spare parts guarantees and training.
A diplomat requesting anonymity said separately that Morocco had received the first batch of armed drones it ordered in May. Ethiopia plans to purchase them, but the status of that order is less clear, the envoy said.
The sources did not indicate the number of drones that are part of the deals or provide financial details.
Ukraine and Poland, Turkey’s NATO partners, also purchased Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, which military experts say are cheaper than market rivals made in Israel, China and the United States.
Official data show that Turkish defense and aviation exports rose sharply to Morocco and Ethiopia in the past two months, but do not provide details on drone sales.
The Ethiopian military and the prime minister’s office did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Morocco’s government was not immediately available for comment. Its military does not discuss procurement publicly.
Turkey’s main defense procurement and development agency did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. Drone manufacturer Bayraktar, whose TB2 model was designed by the company of President Tayyip Erdogan’s son-in-law, also did not respond to a request for comment.
