No Evidence of UEA Drones Used in Tigray, Ethiopia
Forces in Ethiopia's Tigray region accuse the federal government of partnering with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of using armed drones (drones) stationed in Eritrea. A security analyst told VOA the drone was in the port city of Eritrea but there was no evidence that the drone had been used in the Tigray conflict.
Wim Zwijnenburg, leader of the humanitarian disarmament project for PAX, an organization that studies conflicts around the world and conducts research on the use of military technology, has studied satellite images compiled by the American company Planet Lab. He confirmed that the drones operated by the UAE have been stationed in the port city of Assab, Eritrea. The Chinese-made 20-meter drone known as Wing Loong II is capable of dropping bombs or firing missiles.
"It's true that there are Emirati drones stationed in Eritrea," Zwijnenburg told VOA via Skype. "However, the next question is whether those drones were used in Ethiopia. And, in that case, we couldn't find any indication that the UAE was flying drones in Ethiopia. "
