Ethiopia 'using Turkish drones to bomb civilians': report
Ethiopia 'using Turkish drones to bomb civilians': report
Images obtained by aid workers have provided further evidence to support claims that Ethiopia used Turkish drones to bomb civilians in the government's ongoing conflict with Tigray rebels.
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Turkey has said publicly that it continues to support efforts towards preserving peace in Ethiopia [Getty]
New evidence has emerged to support accusations that the ܲ drones to attack civilians, according to reportsTuesday.
Photographsobtained by aid workers showed missile fragments from a strike on thetown of Dedebit in northweston 7 January, which resulted in the deaths of 58 civilians sheltering in a school, according to Politico.
The images were studied by Dutch NGO PAX who identified the weapon used as a Turkish -adding to long suspected allegations that Turkey has been supplying arms to for its offensive against Tigray rebels.
"The arrival of Iranian, Chinese and now Turkish armed drones seems to have turned the tide in favour of the Ethiopian government, putting the Tigrayans on the defensive and forcing them to the negotiating table," said PAX.
in November 2020. Thousands have been killed in the conflict, many of whom were unarmed civilians, and thousands more have been arrested.
Earlier this month,"confirmed" the presence of TB2 armed drones at the Harar Meda military airport at Bishoftu, just southof Ethiopia's capital, according to PAX.
The newly obtained photos provide further evidence to support claims that is capitalising on Ethiopia’s conflict,in direct contradiction to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which regulates the trade in conventional weapons, such as drones, and was signed by Ankara in 2013, representatives from the NGO said.
is where Erdogan’s son-in-law Selcuk Bayraktar works as chief technology officer.
Turkey has been rapidly building up its drone export industry, developing the cheap but effective “weapon of choice for many states,” according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
have already expressed concerns over Turkey’s sale of armed drones to Ethiopia, with two sources familiar with the matter stating "there was mounting evidence" of the trade, according to Reuters.
contacted the Turkish embassy in London about the sale of drones to Ethiopia, who did not respond to a request for comment.
Politico askedTurkish government spokespeoplein Ankaraabout the sale ofmunitions to the East African countrybut did not receive a response.
