Turkish forces are escalating operations in Libya by ramping up the number of attack drones they are launching from a secret base in Tripoli, security officials have disclosed.
More than 20 Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are understood to be operating out of the Libyan capital conducting strikes on behalf of the Government of National Accord against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army.
The Turkish drone offensive was confirmed in an unusual segment of a speech by Britain’s defence secretary earlier this month.
In a lecture on the “threats and opportunities” in modern warfare, Ben Wallace said Turkish drones had been deployed in the Libyan battlefield since the middle of 2019. “Look how Turkey has been operating in Libya, where it has used Bayraktar TB-2 UAVs … conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and targeting operations against front lines, supply lines and logistics bases,” he revealed.
He then outlined Turkish attacks using drones not just in Libya but in other Middle Eastern countries. The Bayraktar drones, each costing about $5 million (Dh18.4m) have proved effective against tanks and infantry in Syria. They have also been used to attack Kurdish groups in northern Iraq, such as the assassination in 2018 of PKK leader Ismail Ozden, who was viewed by the Yazidi people as a hero in their resistance against ISIS.
Defence analysts believe that Ankara is reinforcing its drones because the loss of Turkish troops in foreign conflicts has become unpopular at home.
“When Turkey decided to escalate in Libya they did not want to lose Turkish soldiers so have resorted to drones,” said Jack Watling, research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. “It’s a way to escalate without exposing their own personnel to risk.
“It’s also an affordable way for Turks to conduct strikes without risking the domestic backlash because you don’t have reports of soldiers being killed if drones get shot down.”
The Bayraktar drone was developed in Turkey and is regarded as a capable and efficient UAV since entering service in 2014. It can fly for 24 hours non-stop, carries reasonable surveillance equipment and more importantly is able to conduct precision-strike missions using a range of heat and pressure-producing thermobaric explosives or anti-tank munitions.
Defence experts believe that Turkey is using various battlegrounds to test and refine the drone for wider use.
“The Turks are looking at what works and what does not and what needs to be fixed on the Bayraktar and looking at how to further develop them,” said Douglas Barrie of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. “The Turks are now using Bayraktar a lot and Turkey is certainly flagging its willingness to engage and provide equipment for foreign powers.”
He added that the UAV’s development demonstrated “the level of competence in Turkey’s aerospace sector over the past 30 years” and showed they could provide “a good standard of credible systems and munitions which work”.
However, Turkey is understood to have lost a number of Bayraktar to either ground fire of electronic jamming in both Libya and Syria. In addition, reports from Syria suggest that some of their bombs failed to disable armoured vehicles, suggesting Turkey may attempt to improve the drone’s lethality.
Turkey’s development of attack drones demonstrates that more medium-sized powers are able to build UAVs as well as deliver them to proxies such as Iran has done with the Houthis in Yemen.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
Specs
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Torque: 1075Nm
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
