Mali: Military Council acquires Turkish military equipment including Akinci drone
The Malian army received new air military weapons, which the country’s ruling Transitional Military Council acquired from Türkiye, and were fully funded by the Malian state budget.
Among the equipment received by the Malian army is the Akinci combat drone produced by the Turkish Baykar defense company.
In a speech on the occasion of the receipt of the new equipment, Malian Defense Minister General Sadio Camara welcomed this progress witnessed by the country’s army in terms of military equipment.
He noted, “thanks to the constant listening to the Malian people, the highest authorities have placed the return of security at the top of their priorities, and with this new equipment obtained from the national budget, we are reaching a new stage, which will make it possible to neutralize threats wherever they may be”.
It’s worth noting that Malian army received several military equipment in the past two years, as in March 2023, the transitional president, General Assimi Goita, delivered 7 aircraft to the Malian army, including L-39 fighters and Bayraktar TB2 drones, which were purchased from Türkiye.
Mali also received military equipment from Russia in 2022, including reconnaissance and attack aircraft and fighters, and several shipments of military aid from Moscow arrived in Bamako.
The Malian military junta has strengthened ties with Russia and Türkiye after expelling French military forces from the country following the 2020 coup that ousted the late civilian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was one of France’s allies in the region.
