Turkey Donates Two Otokar Cobra 4×4 Tactical Wheeled Armored Vehicles To The Gambia Armed Forces
Turkey has donated ‘non-lethal military materials’ to support the Gambia Armed Forces’ anti-terrorism operations. High frequency (HF) radios, mine detectors, uniforms, winter jackets, raincoats, and combat boots are among the donated supplies, along with two Otokar Cobra 4×4 tactical wheeled armored vehicles. The military equipment was presented and delivered at the Defense Headquarters in Banjul, with the participation of Gambian Minister of Interior Seyaka Sonko, Gambia Armed Forces Chief of Defense Staff Lieutenant General Yakuba A Drammeh, and Turkey’s Ambassador to Gambia Tolga Bermek.
Tolga Bermek, Turkey’s Ambassador to Gambia, remarked at the ceremony that the aid provided was a significant turning point in bilateral and military relations between Ankara and Banjul. Bermek remarked that the two countries’ long-standing relationship allows Turkey to always come to the aid of Gambia as part of its foreign policy requirements in maintaining and supporting international peace and security around the world. The Ambassador emphasized that GAF must be supported during the planning and preparation stages in order to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security stability, which can only be accomplished via capacity building and logistical support. The Ambassador also expressed gratitude to the two governments for the cordial and ongoing bilateral relations.
Lieutenant General Yakuba A Drammeh, Chief of Defense Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces, said the donated equipment would go a long way in supporting United Nations peace support operations around the world. The Lieutenant General commended the Turkish Armed Forces for their continued support of the Gambia Armed Forces, stating that the donated items would be used for their intended purpose.
Bilateral relations between Turkey and Gambia, which began in the early 1990s with military training and logistics assistance, have now evolved into extensive cooperation in a variety of fields. Turkey, which has donated military equipment to the Gambia Armed Forces on an annual basis since 2018, has also offered military training to over 7,500 GAF troops to date. Furthermore, last year, Gambia purchased two HIZIR 4×4 armored vehicles from Turkish armored vehicle manufacturer Katmerciler.