Turkey’s cutting-edge drones rock military power dynamics in Libya

Turkey's cutting-edge drones have shifted the strategic balance of military power since the beginning of 2020 in Libya, weakening the eastern-based forces of warlord Khalifa Haftar, French newspaper Le Monde reported.

Speaking to the newspaper's correspondent Frédéric Bobin, experts pointed out that Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and advanced technology have had a crucial impact on the military power dynamics in the region.

"The reason is that Turkish drones and anti-aircraft defense systems installed by Ankara in Tripoli have had an impact on preventing Emirati flights from reaching Tripoli or Misrata,”said Wolfram Lacher, a researcher at the German Institute for International Affairs and Security in Berlin.

Libyan researcher Muhammed al-Jerah asserted that underestimating Turkey was “a big mistake” for Haftar as Ankara managed to break the siege around capital Tripoli.

Since the ouster of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: Haftar in eastern Libya, supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and the GNA in Tripoli, which enjoys UN and international recognition.

The GNA, also supported by Turkey, has been under attack by Haftar's forces since last April, with more than 1,000 killed in the violence. The Tripoli government launched Operation Peace Storm on March 25 to counter attacks on the capital.

Ankara on Tuesday slammed French foreign minister’s remarks that were published in Le Monde, saying that by supporting Haftar forces, France is preventing the cessation of the Libyan people's suffering.