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.
The%20Killer
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The%20specs
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYodawy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarim%20Khashaba%2C%20Sherief%20El-Feky%20and%20Yasser%20AbdelGawad%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2424.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlgebra%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20MEVP%20and%20Delivery%20Hero%20Ventures%2C%20among%20others%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20500%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Famous left-handers
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US households add $601bn of debt in 2019
American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.
Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.
In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.
The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.
"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.
AIDA%20RETURNS
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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
Schedule
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
Schedule for show courts
Centre Court - from 4pm UAE time
Johanna Konta (6) v Donna Vekic
Andy Murray (1) v Dustin Brown
Rafael Nadal (4) v Donald Young
Court 1 - from 4pm UAE time
Kei Nishikori (9) v Sergiy Stakhovsky
Qiang Wang v Venus Williams (10)
Beatriz Haddad Maia v Simona Halep (2)
Court 2 - from 2.30pm
Heather Watson v Anastasija Sevastova (18)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) v Simone Bolelli
Florian Mayer v Marin Cilic (7)
GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
