Mali on Thursday received a fresh batch of famed Turkish combat drones, as the West African country faces a rising terrorist threat.
The shipment of the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) was delivered during a ceremony attended by the interim leader of Mali, Col. Assimi Goita, as reported by the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Videos on social media reportedly showed what AFP reported as six TB2s on the tarmac of the Modibo Keita International Airport, located approximately 15 kilometers south of downtown Bamako, the capital of Mali.
The new shipment followed a delivery of TB2s in March last year.
Meanwhile, recent videos on X, formerly known as Twitter, allegedly showed Mali's military using drones against armed terrorist groups.
Developed by Baykar, the TB2s have helped swing conflicts in multiple countries, such as Azerbaijan and Libya, and lastly in Ukraine, where they played a pivotal role in countering Russian forces early into Moscow’s invasion.
They have transformed Türkiye into a major global supplier and became integral to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision of a self-reliant defense industry, spanning from UCAVs to fighter jets and warships.
This further elevated already buoyant TB2 sales. According to the company, the drone has been exported to more than 32 countries to date.
The TB2 can fly for more than 20 hours at 27,000 feet, can carry a load of up to 120 kilograms (265 pounds), and weighs only 650 kilograms.
The platform is known for taking out some of the most advanced anti-aircraft systems, artillery systems and armored vehicles.
Baykar made exports worth a record $1.76 billion in 2023, it said on Thursday. It accounted for more than 30% of Turkish defense companies' all-time high sales of about $5.5 billion.
The decoration began being awarded to individuals who made significant contributions to the country after Mali was liberated from French colonialism in 1960.