TURKISH ARMS GIANT BAYKAR ACCUSED OF SECRETLY SUPPLYING WEAPONS TO SUDANESE MILITARY.
BY NJOKI KARANJA.
A bombshell investigation by The Washington Post has exposed the involvement of Turkish defense company Baykar in fueling Sudan’s devastating war, despite international sanctions. Leaked documents, satellite imagery, and intercepted communications reveal that the company secretly delivered drones and missiles worth $120 million to the Sudanese army in 2024.
According to the report, Baykar supplied eight TB2 drones—its most advanced combat UAVs—along with warheads to the Sudanese military in September 2024. A team from Baykar was also reportedly present to oversee the deal’s execution. The TB2 drones, which can carry over 300 pounds of munitions, are widely used by Turkey’s military and are built with key components sourced from the United States.
The findings, backed by text messages, financial records, and satellite data, suggest Baykar's actions may violate multiple sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the European Union. These sanctions prohibit military support to Sudan due to its ongoing conflict, which the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe. Despite repeated requests, neither Baykar nor Sudanese military officials responded to The Washington Post’s inquiries.
A Turkish embassy official in Washington, speaking anonymously, denied any government involvement, stating that "Turkey has refrained from providing military support to the parties since the beginning of the conflict." However, Albert Ghoskoon, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former Turkish security official, acknowledged that while Turkey has a strict arms export review process, this is the first time such precise details about arms transfers to Sudan have come to light.
Beyond military implications, the leaked documents reveal that Sudanese military leaders were considering granting
