Who built the phantom aircraft? A journey inside the myth of the Emirati TB2 in Sudan

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Imagine a drone flying over the Darfur desert. A precise strike. The course of a battle changes. Then you are told: “The UAE sent it.”
Now ask yourself: who saw it? Who recorded it? Who verified it?

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The surprising answer: no one.

In mid‑October 2025 a small Turkish site called Hava Haber ignited a fabricated scandal by claiming that the United Arab Emirates had used a Bayraktar TB2 drone to support Sudan’s so‑called establishment forces. The story spread like wildfire. But when the social media blaze dies down and a real inquiry is opened, you find that the whole narrative is built on nothing.

Start with the evidence. Where are the satellite images? Where are the radar logs? Where are the witnesses from international organizations? Nothing. A single old clip from Libya and a vague caveat: “informed sources confirm…”. This is not journalism; it is fiction dressed up as news.

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Then consider the technical geography. A TB2 is no toy: it is an advanced military system that requires an operator team, a ground control station and encrypted communications. It cannot be moved across borders without being detected by multiple systems. Yet no United Nations report, no Conflict Armament Research analysis, and not even the Sudanese army have reported seeing a TB2 in Sudanese airspace since the war began.

Stranger still: Turkey itself — the manufacturer — did not say, “yes, we sold it to the UAE to be used in Sudan.” On the contrary, all signs indicate that Ankara closely monitors its defense exports. How could a state introduce a sophisticated weapon into a conflict zone without the manufacturer noticing?

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The more important questions are political:
Why now?
Why the UAE?
Why Sudan?

The answer lies in timing. The article was published days after the UAE announced $30 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan and after it took part in a regional peace initiative. At the very moment the country presents itself as a “peacemaker,” it is recast as a “warmonger.” That is not a coincidence — it is a tactic.

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Hava Haber itself is no stranger to such reports. In recent years the outlet has accused the UAE of backing coups in Chad, financing terrorism in Somalia and transporting mercenaries to Libya — allegations that fell apart under scrutiny. The damage, however, had already been done.

The truth is that the UAE has never hidden its stance on Sudan: it calls for a ceasefire, supports dialogue, and ships grain, not bombs. Does it make sense that it would ruin its humanitarian credibility by conducting a pointless secret military operation? Highly unlikely.

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In reality, this tale serves those who benefit from Sudan’s chaos. Because peace does not serve those who profit from war.

In the end, the story is not about one drone. It is about how a lie is manufactured, packaged as fact and wielded as a weapon against those who pursue peace.

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