Al Jazeera: UAE Providing Ethiopia Use of Chinese Made Wing-Loong II Drones

Recent gains by Ethiopian government troops in pushing back Tigrayan opposition forces may have been helped by the use of sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Turkey, Iran, and China, according to satellite photos seen by Al Jazeera. The role of the UAE is particularly important, because it might have provided a conduit for the Chinese-made Wing Loong II unarmed reconnaissance drones that have been spotted in Ethiopia.

Analysts say the Wing Loong II is an especially potent tool as it can operate at much higher altitudes, well out of range of Tigrayan anti-aircraft weapons, and can serve as a precise target designator for short-range ballistic missiles, many of which incidentally have been imported from China.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.