I-United States Yakhe uThungelwano lweZiseko zeDrone kwi-Afrika iphela

Ngu-Mohammed Abunahel, World BEYOND War, Matshi 22, 2024

Kuqhelekile ukufunda ezindabeni ukuba i-US iphantse ingabikho ngokomzimba e-Afrika, ukuba inesiseko esisodwa somkhosi e-Afrika, i-Camp Lemonnier e-Djibouti. Nangona kunjalo, inyaniso kukuba umkhosi wase-US ugcina malunga neziseko ze-52 e-Afrika; phakathi kwabo, i-10 isetyenziswa njengeziseko zedrone. Zibone zonke kwimephu kunye noluhlu apha. Olo balo lweziseko alubandakanyi abo baseNiger (i-8, ubuncinci be-3 ibe ziziseko zedrone). Kwiveki ephelile, urhulumente waseNiger uxelele umkhosi waseMelika ukuba umke kweli lizwe. I-US kunjalo kubanga ukuba nengxaki yokuqonda isicelo.

Ukusetyenziswa kwezomkhosi “kwezithuthi zasemoyeni ezingaphathwanga,” okanye iidrone, kuqhubekile ukwanda kwiminyaka yakutshanje, kukuhlola abantu nokuqhumisa abantu. Iidrones zihlala ziqaliswa ukusuka kwiziseko ezikufutshane neenjongo zazo, kodwa ziqhutywa kwezinye iziseko ezikude kakhulu, ngokwesiqhelo eUnited States.

Ziphi iziseko zedrone zomkhosi wase-US eAfrika? Ukuphendula lo mbuzo kulucelomngeni, ngenxa yokusetyenziswa kwezinye iziseko zedrone kwimisebenzi eyimfihlo, okwenza kube nzima ukufumana ulwazi oluthile. Eli nqaku libala iziseko zedrone ezichongiweyo eAfrika.

Imephu yoku-1 ibonisa iindawo ezikhoyo ngoku eziqeshwa ngumkhosi wase-US ngeenjongo zokuqalisa iidrones kunye nokuqhuba iinqwelomoya zokuhlola kuMbindi nakuMntla Afrika. Imephu ayigqibekanga, kodwa iqulethe lonke ulwazi olukhoyo kuluntu.

Imephu 1: Iziseko zeDrone zase-US eAfrika

Khameruni

Ngo-2013, i-US  waseka isiseko somkhosi eSalak, kufutshane nommandla womda osemantla phakathi kweNigeria neChad. E-Salak, i-US isebenzise iidrones ezithandathu zokujonga i-ScanEagle zodidi lwe-Class I ngomnyaka we-2015.

I-Times Aerospace ngo-2019 ingxelo yokuba "Umyalelo wokuthengiswa komkhosi wangaphandle wase-US weBoeing Insitu ScanEagle inkqubo ye-UAV yobuchule yabekwa. Inkqubo, equka isikhululo solawulo, isikhululo sombane, isilingisi, kunye neeUAV ezintandathu, iqale ukusebenza ukusuka eMaroua-Salak ngoNovemba ka-2016.”

Ukongeza ekusetyenzisweni kwemisebenzi yase-US, ufakelo eSalak lukwasebenza njenge indawo yokugcina abaphuli-mthetho engagunyaziswanga. Umkhosi waseCameroonia bathuthumbisa ngokungenalusini amabanjwa, uninzi lwabo ibingamadoda kwaye amaxesha amaninzi bengamalungu ohlanga oluncinci lweKanuri. Kwiziko leSalak, kukwakho nokuvalelwa kwabasetyhini nabantwana. Yayingengobanqolobi beBoko Haram ababevalelwe; kunoko, yayingabemi abaqhelekileyo ababevalelwe ngenxa yokurhanelwa ukuba bancedisa iBoko Haram.

I-United States igcina esinye isiseko sedrone kwicala elingasentla lesikhululo seenqwelomoya saseGaroua. Ukusetyenziswa kokuqala kwesi siseko yi-US kunokulandelwa kwi-2015, xa i-United States, phantsi kolawulo luka-Obama, yagqiba. ukuthumela imikhosi ye-90 yase-US kunye ne-Predator drones eCameroon phantsi kwesizathu sokunceda ekulweni iBoko Haram eNigeria. Esi sigqibo salandelwa kukuthunyelwa yamajoni angama-300 ase-US, kunye needrones.

Ekufikeni kwemikhosi yase-US, yakha amaziko athile kufutshane nesikhululo seenqwelomoya, eneneni yayizizixhobo zokuyalela kunye nolawulo lweedrone zePredator ezingaxhomekanga. Ukusuka kule ndawo, iidrones zibhabha ngaphaya komda weCameroon-Nigeria, njengoko kuxeliwe nguJoshua Hammer oye eGaroua Ukuthintela.

Imephu 2: Isiseko seDrone yase-US kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya samazwe ngamazwe saseGaroua, eCameroon, Iziko loFundo lweDrone kwiKholeji yaseBard

Nayija

Imikhosi yaseNigerien, eqeqeshwe yi-US, yaxosha i-US kumhlaba wabo (siya kubona ukuba ngaba bayahamba ngokwenene), iphelisa ubudlelwane obude phakathi kwamazwe amabini. I-Niger ibhekisele kuyo 'njengengalunganga ngokugqithisileyo'.

Ngokuphelisa esi sivumelwano, i-US kufuneka ihoxise bonke abasebenzi bayo kunye nezinye izixhobo zemfazwe, njengezixhobo, i-drones, njl. Nangona kunjalo, eli nqaku libandakanya ezo ziseko ukuba zisebenze njengesalathiso kwiziseko ze-drone e-Afrika.

I-US yabanga ukuba iziseko zedrone eNiger zinyanzelisa uvukelo lwe-jihadist; nangona kunjalo, kwakungekho bungqina bokuba ibango elinjalo lalifanelekile. Kwelinye icala, ezo ziseko, iinzame 'zokulwa nobunqolobi' zibangela umonakalo omkhulu kunabo nabuphi na ubunqolobi baloo ngingqi.

Kwi-2013, i-US yonyusa imisebenzi yayo yedrone ukusuka kwisiseko kwi Niamey, eNiger. Esi siseko yi-Niamey Air Base 101, emi kufutshane neSikhululo seenqwelomoya saMazwe ngaMazwe sase-Diori Hamani e-Niamey, sisebenza njengendawo yobuthunywa yentsebenziswano yemikhosi yomkhosi yase-US kunye ne-French.

Kwangalo nyaka, i-US Isithethi se-African Command uBenjamin Benson iqinisekisile ukuba imisebenzi yomoya yase-US evela kwi-Base Aérienne 101 kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya saseDiori Hamani sasincedisa ekuhlanganiseni ubuntlola kunye nemikhosi yaseFransi eMali kunye namanye amaqabane ommandla.

I-Air Base 101 yayinoluhlu olubanzi lweenqwelomoya, kubandakanywa iijethi zokulwa ezisibhozo ze-Mirage 2000D, ezine MQ-9 Reaper, iBoeing C-135FR yokufaka i-refueling inqwelo-moya, inqwelo-moya yezothutho yomkhosi ye-Lockheed C-130 Hercules, i-Eurocopter Tiger yokuhlasela iihelikopta, kunye nee-helicopter zomkhosi ze-NHIndustries NH90.

Ngaphezu koko, umkhosi wase-US wafudukela eNiger Air Base 201 ngo-2016. Amagunya aseNigerien avumela i-US ukuba yakhe isiseko se-Agadez kwi-2014. Yi-hub yase-Niger yase-US kwaye iqhutywe ukususela. 2019. Air Base 201 na yomkhosi waseNiger, kodwa yaxhaswa ngemali, yakhiwa, kwaye ilawulwa yi-US. Esi siseko sasiyindawo yokucupha, eyakhiwe ngexabiso le $ 110 yezigidi kwaye ifuna ukugcinwa konyaka kwe-$20 ukuya kwi-30 yezigidi zeerandi.

Ngo-2023, i-Intercept ingxelo yokuba i-Niger Air Base 201 yezindlu zabasebenzi be-Space Force babandakanyeka kunxibelelwano oluphambili lwesathelayithi, izibonelelo ezidityanisiweyo zokuSebenza eziKhethekileyo zoMoya, kunye neentlobo ngeentlobo zeedrones, ezifana abaxhobileyo MQ-9 Abavuni, eqhuba ucupho oluqhubekayo.

I-Intercept yongeze ukuba i-201 liziko elikhuseleke kakhulu elikumgama oziikhilomitha ezingama-25 "Isiseko sendawo yokhuseleko." Ikhuselwe ngu iingcingo, imiqobo, iinqaba zoonogada eziphuculweyo ezinomoya opholileyo ezinamazibuko okudubula enziwe ngokwesiko, kunye nezinja ezisebenza emkhosini. The New York Times ichaza “njengesiseko soMoya esibalulekileyo.”

Imephu 3: Niger Air Base 201

Iidrone zinokubhabha ziye emantla I-Mali kunye ne-Libya esezantsi ukusuka kule ndawo. I-US mhlawumbi ukuxhokonxa ubugrogrisi okanye ukufuna ubutyebi njengegolide, iuranium, i-oyile, okanye i-aquifer yamanzi endalo ephantsi kweSahara.

Ngo-2018, i-US yaguqula indawo yokusebenzela EDirkou, eNiger, kwisiseko se-CIA drone ngenjongo yokujolisa kwiiradicals. Isiseko sifumaneka kwiikhilomitha ze-560 ukusuka kwisiseko e-Agadez. I-CIA yalile ukubonelela ngengqiqo yokufuna indawo eyahlukileyo. Kwangaloo nyaka, i IKomishoni yaseAfrika yamaLungelo oLuntu kunye naBantu (ACHPR) yazisa iManyano ye-Afrika ukuba iidrones zase-US zikhokelele kwiingxwelerha zabemi eNiger.

Imephu 4: I-CIA Drone Base eDirkou, eNiger

Somaliya

ESomalia, i-US igcina isiseko eBaledogle Airfield, esetyenziswa njengesiseko sedrone kunye neminye imisebenzi yemfazwe. Kwi-2014, imikhosi yase-US wayisebenzisa ekuqeqesheni iDanab Brigade (I-Somali National Army commando force). I-US, i-AMISOM (i-African Union Mission eSomalia), kunye ne-Danab basebenzisa i-Baledogle Airfield kwi-counterinsurgency kunye nokusebenza kwe-drone. kwi 2018, Umkhosi wase-US wanikezela i-12 yezigidi zeedola ukulungiselela ukulungiswa okungxamisekileyo okubandakanya ukubopha okunzulu kunye nokwaleka komgaqo weenqwelo-moya.

Kwangelo xesha, i-US ineendawo zokhuseleko ezisebenzisanayo, ezaziwa ngokuba zii-CSL, kwikomkhulu, iMogadishu. Le sayithi iye ichazwa 'njengezithuba ezincinci'. Ngapha koko, iCIA isebenzisa isiseko sedrone eMogadishu. Ngoku ka Wesizwe, esi siza sikwikona engasemva yeAden Adde Airport yaseMogadishu. Isizwe siphinde saxela ukuba i-CIA yasebenzisa intolongo eyimfihlo engcwatywe kumgangatho ongaphantsi we-Arhente yoKhuseleko yeSizwe yaseSomalia ngemisebenzi engekho mthethweni.

Ngo-2020, iThe Guardian yaxela ukuba igosa leCIA labulawa eSomalia. Oku kuluphawu lwemfihlo kunye nokusebenza okwaziwayo kunye nokungaziwa kweCIA, kunye nesalathiso sokusetyenziswa kweCIA kweziseko eSomalia. Ngexesha lolawulo lukaBiden ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, i-US iqhube Ugwayimbo lwe-81, phakathi kwabo lugwayimbo lwe-drone engama-34, eSomalia. NgoNovemba 2023, i-Intercept yabika ukuba a Uqhankqalazo lwedrone olubulale ibhinqa kunye nomntwana oneminyaka emi-4 ubudala eSomalia ngo-2018, ngokusekwe kuphando oluyimfihlo lwePentagon.

Kwi-2015, uMgaqo-nkqubo waNgaphandle yanika ingxelo yokuba iqela le-Joint Special Operations Command elabulala u-Osama bin Laden libhabha iidrones kwaye liqhuba eminye imisebenzi ukusuka kwinqaba yemiqobo ye-Hesco eluhlaza ephelelweyo kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya saseKismayo.

Imephu 5: Baledogle Airfield/Wanlaweyn Airstrip, Somalia

Seytshels

Ngaphandle kwento yokuba ililizwe elincinci kakhulu, iSeychelles ngumdlali obalulekileyo kwimicimbi ye-geopolitical kuLwandlekazi lwaseIndiya. Njengesiphumo sokusayina kwe-US Imo yesivumelwano semikhosi kunye neSeychelles ngo-2009, kuye kwakho ukunyuka okukhulu kwinani lemisebenzi yomkhosi. Isiseko sedrone sasekwa kufutshane neSikhululo seenqwelomoya saMazwe ngaMazwe saseSeychelles, sinyusa ukubonakala komkhosi, okuyinxalenye yokwandiswa kwe-US yothungelwano lwesiseko sayo sase-Afrika. I-US yagcina isiseko ngokufihlakeleyo de yavezwa emva kwengozi yedrone kwi 2011. Isiseko esisebenza e-US sineqela elincinci leedrones zokucupha, kuquka MQ-9 Abavuni.

US kunye noorhulumente baseSeychellois bathi Eyona njongo iphambili yesiseko yayikukulandela abaphangi, nangona kunjalo latsho igosa eliphezulu ukuba ngo-2011, iminyaka emibini emva kokuba isiseko sisekiwe, i-US yayingazange isebenzise iidrones ngaloo njongo. Iphulo lokucupha eSomalia yayiyenye into ekujoliswe kuyo.

Tshad

Embindini weSikhululo seenqwelomoya saseN'Djamena, iCamp Tassone ihlala isisiseko semikhosi yomkhosi okhethekileyo wase-US phantsi koMyalelo weAfrika. I-United States yaba negalelo ekuxhwilweni kwamantombazana angama-300 liqela leBoko Haram. Malunga nama-80 amajoni axhobileyo aseMelika athunyelwe eChad, apho Iidrone zokucupha i-Predator zisebenza kwindawo enkulu yomoya kufutshane ne-N'Djamena. Ukusukela ngoko, ulwazi malunga nesi siseko luhlala luncinci kakhulu, lusenza ukuba sibe yindawo esebenzayo yeedrones.

Imephu 6: Camp Tassone, Chad

Jibhuti

Ngo-2013, i-US Air Force yandise imisebenzi yayo ye-drone e-Djibouti ngokwakha ukufakwa kwe-drone. eChabelly Airfield. Iidrones ezimiswe kweli bala leenqwelomoya zinamandla okuhlola iYemen, emazantsi-ntshona eSaudi Arabia, eSomalia, e-Ethiopia, nakumazantsi e-Egypt. IPentagon ibhengeze ukuba ibala lomoya liza kusetyenziswa okwethutyana iminyaka emibini. Kwi-2014, i-US kunye ne-Djibouti yangena kwilungiselelo lexesha elide lesiseko. Nangona kunjalo, I-Intercept inikwe ingxelo ngo-2023 ukuba I-Chabelley Airfield uye wasebenza njengesiseko esibalulekileyo semishini eSomalia naseYemen, kunye nemfazwe yedrone ngokuchasene ne-Islamic State e-Iraq naseSyria.

Imephu 7: Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti

Isikhululo esidala soMkhosi waseFransi waNgaphandle ngoku saziwa ngokuba yiCamp Lemonnier, indawo ebisebenza njengekhaya laba Imikhosi yeMisebenzi eKhethekileyo kunye neminye imisebenzi eYemen naseSomalia ixesha elininzi. Ngokutsho kwe-Intercept, likhaya lamalungu amalunga nama-5,000 2002 aseUnited States namahlakani ayo. Ukusukela ngo-2013 ukuya ku-88, eli ziko likhule ukusuka kwiihektare ezingama-600 ukuya malunga neehektare ezimalunga nama-10, kwaye likwaphuhle kwindawo engaphandle yesathelayithi ekwiikhilomitha ezili-2013 ukuya kumzantsi-ntshona. Ngo-XNUMX, imisebenzi yedrone elizweni yatshintshelwa kule ndawo yesathelayithi.

I-US inengqesho kwiCamp Lemonnier de i2044, ehlala ibalulekile kwimisebenzi yomkhosi wase-US. Ukuphela kuka-2010, I-United States yathumela i-MQ-1B Predators ezisibhozo e-Djibouti kwaye yaguqulela i-Camp Lemonnier kwindawo esisigxina yeenqwelo-moya ezingenabantu. Ezi drones zisetyenziselwe ukujolisa iindawo Yemen kunye neSomalia.

Imephu 8: Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.

Burkina Faso

I-Ouagadougou yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kwiziseko zomoya ezimalunga neshumi elinesibini ezamiselwa yi-US e-Afrika ngo-2007. Iindaba zoBuntlola zoLuntu, ngo-2013, ichaze indawo yomkhosi kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya saseOuagadougou “njengendawo ephambili yenethiwekhi yokuhlola yase-US.” Isikhululo seenqwelomoya saseOuagadougou likhaya lekhowudi yokuhlola ebizwa ngokuba yiSand Creek equka "abasebenzi abaninzi base-US kunye neekontraki" ezisebenza "isiseko somoya esincinci kwicala lomkhosi lesikhululo seenqwelomoya."  Ngokutsho kukaDavid Vine, esi sikhululo “yindawo yokhuseleko yentsebenziswano.” Nangona kunjalo, ulwazi lusanqongophele kakhulu malunga nokusetyenziswa kwangoku kwesi siseko seedrones.

Thunishiya

Umkhosi waseMelika unesiseko sedrone esiseSidi Ahmed Air Base. Ngo-2016, malunga ne-70 yabasebenzi boMkhosi woMoya kunye neekontraka ezingaphezulu kwama-20 zathunyelwa kwesi siseko, njengoko kutyhilwe kumaxwebhu afunyenweyo. nguThe Intercept ngoMthetho weNkululeko yoLwazi. IWashington Post ingxelo yokuba i-US ithumele iidrones eTunisia ngoJuni 2016. The Wall Street Journal ingxelo ngoJulayi 2015 ukuba i-US ikhangele isiseko se-drone kwilizwe laseMntla Afrika ukuncedisa i-drones esele isekelwe eSigonella, eSicily.

Ezinye iindawo ezinokubakho

Ngo-2024, iWall Street Journal yanika ingxelo ngeengxoxo zokuqala zokuseka iziseko eCote d'Ivoire, eGhana naseBenin. Ingqiqo, njengoko ichaziwe yiJenali, kukuba iidrones ziya kwenza ukuba imikhosi yase-US yenze uphononongo oluphezulu lwezenzo zokuvukela kufutshane nonxweme kwaye inike isikhokelo sexesha lokwenyani kwimikhosi yasekhaya kwiimeko zedabi. I-US ithathela ingqalelo indawo yokubekwa kwedrone kwingingqi ngenxa yokuthatyathwa komkhosi eNiger ngoJulayi ka-2023.

Ekujongeni ubunzima bobukho bomkhosi wase-US e-Afrika, ubunyani bucela umngeni kwiimbono eziqhelekileyo. Ingxelo ihlala igxininisa unyawo oluncinci, ukanti ubukho beziseko ezimalunga nama-60, kubandakanya iziseko zedrone ezili-13, ipeyinta umfanekiso owahlukileyo.

Ukwanda kokusetyenziswa kwedrone kubonisa utshintsho olucwangcisiweyo, ezi drones zibe sembindini wemisebenzi yasemkhosini. Njengoko i-US ikhuphisana nokuguquka kwe-geopolitical dynamics, ukuthunyelwa kweziseko zedrone e-Afrika kuvela njengenxalenye ebalulekileyo yesicwangciso esibanzi, isongeza i-nuance kwingxelo ekhoyo yobukho obulinganiselweyo bomzimba kodwa impembelelo ekhulayo.