How the DRC boosted its armed drone fleet to counter the M23
A recent report by Visual Capitalist, based on data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), highlights key findings regarding global and regional trends in military drone imports across Africa. Nine African countries imported a total of 107 major military drones, representing a tiny fraction of the 16,822 major military drones recorded globally during the same period. Key African importers include: the DRC, which received 29 drones (ranking 1st in Africa and 12th globally), deploying Chinese-made CH-4 Rainbow drones against M23 rebels; and Sudan, which received 17 drones—employing systems such as the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and heavier models like the Akıncı—to combat separatist and jihadist groups. Other importers include Burkina Faso and Morocco (10 each), Niger and Nigeria (7 each), and Algeria and Kenya (6 each). The DR Congo, Sudan, and Mali are Africa’s largest importers of military drones, while the United States and Iran supply opposing side...