An Ethiopian TB2 combat drone crashes in Wollega on Wednesday. The incident happened in Arusi kebele, Abe Dongoro woreda, Horo Guduruu Wellega Oromia region of Ethiopia.
In 2021, the Ethiopian government purchased unknown number of TB2 drones from Turkey. The combat drones helped the Ethiopian military in inflicting heavy losses on the Tigray regional forces. The war between Tigray regional forces and Ethiopian federal forces ended in November 2022 when the two sides signed Pretoria Peace Deal.
Amhara Fano militia fighters on Wednesday claimed to have shot the down the TB-2 Ethiopian drone in Wollega. But the videos and pictures from the crash site indicate that the drone crashed most likely due to a technical failure. The drone body seems in good shape with no blackening of any part, indicating that the drone was not hit by any object in the air.
Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), an armed group, has been operating in Wollega Oromia for decades. Fano groups based in the Amhara region of Ethiopia do not have any significant presence in Wollega. However local Amhara people have organized themselves in Wollega in the form of small armed neighborhood units. Amhara Fano fighters’ claim of having shot down the TB-2 seems to be untrue. Both Fano and OLA have no known anti air or anti drone weapons.
This is the first Ethiopian TB-2 drone which crashed since the military purchase them in 2021. The drone has been widely used in Tigray, Amhara and Oromia regions of Ethiopia for reconnaissance and combat operations.
Ethiopian air force has not issued any statement in this regard so far. Last year Ethiopia bought more modern Turkish drones too. Ethiopia purchased unknown number of modern Akinji Turkish drones which were seen on the occasion of a military parade in Addis Ababa last year.
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