Drone roundup January 12-19
This roundup, curated by ReThink Media, looks at how the media is talking about drone warfare (and related topics) and what stories are being told.
With little transparency from governments on this topic, this roundup aims to be as comprehensive as possible, identifying breaking news, trends, developing stories, or interesting narratives. Rethink Media also use media coverage to compile a snapshot of strikes each week. The short version can be read here.
United States
On Wednesday, AFRICOM launched a drone strike in the Bay region, south of Somalia, killing one al-Shabaab personnel and destroying one compound. The command noted that “initial assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed.” [Garowe] [Stars and Stripes / John Vandiver] [Goobjoog News] [Hiiraan]
In the wake of the assault on the U.S. Capitol by a violent mob incited by President Trump, this and other lame-duck orders have been all but forgotten, but exclusive and formerly secret 2020 U.S. Africa Command planning documents obtained by VICE World News offer evidence of the president upending established U.S. foreign policy far from the spotlight. While the chaos Trump causes in the United States has taken top billing, other experts caution that Trump’s orders directly impact countries around the world like Somalia, and say Somali civilians may pay a grave price. [VICE / Nick Turse]
Boeing-owned drone maker to pay $25 million to settle False Claims Act allegations it used recycled parts on military projects. [US Attorney’s Office Western District of WA]
In an interview with WIRED, former secretary of defense Ash Carter discussed how to build morality into AI—and make sure other countries do too. [WIRED]
US Army taps industry for autonomous drones to resupply troops [Federal Times / Jen Judson]
Iran
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard forces on Friday held a military exercise involving ballistic missiles and drones in the country’s central desert, state TV reported. [AP] [Reuters]
Afghanistan
Taliban drones bomb 217 Pamir Military Corps in Kunduz [Ariana News]
The Afghan government has banned the use of any type of drones to fly over the Presidential Palace in Kabul, apparently following reports on the Taliban’s access to the unmanned aircraft. [TOLOnews / Tamim Hamid]
United Kingdom
Rights groups have called on UK companies to stop providing parts for Turkish drone aircraft, following an announcement earlier this week by UK aviation company Andair that it would no longer export to Ankara after its technology was discovered to have been used in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. [MIddle East Eye / Alex MacDonald]
France
The French might have bombed a wedding party in Mali and no one seems to care.
Australia
Australia approved at least 14 permits for the export of military goods to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates over the last year and a half, despite their involvement in the Yemen conflict which has created a humanitarian crisis. [The Guardian / Daniel Hurst]
Libya
NGO Airwars released comprehensive mapping of more than 5,000 air and artillery strikes in Libya since 2012. Airwars said the new data covers all known locally-reported strikes to date, conducted by all parties to an on-and-off civil war that is currently on pause, after last year’s UN-brokered ceasefire deal. [The Libya Herald / Sami Zaptia]