On 2 April, Reuters reported that analysis indicates that the Libyan National Army (LNA) obtained a mix of Chinese and Turkish combat drones, despite the ongoing UN arms embargo.
Satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters revealed that at least three drones were present at al-Khadim Airbase, around 105 km east of Benghazi, between April and December 2025. Imagery shows a drone model previously unseen in Libya on the airbase’s northern apron between April and July 2025, also captured in a 3 May 2025 image from U.S. satellite firm Vantor, suggesting operational use.
By November 2025, a new shelter was completed over the location where the drone had been, possibly concealing it from later images. A truck equipped with satellite-control gear was observed near the apron as recently as 12 January 2026, likely used for drone operations. Two smaller drones were detected on 17 December 2025. Additional Planet Labs imagery confirms significant expansion at al-Khadim over the past year, including at least three new hangars built on the same apron, indicating ongoing drone-related infrastructure development.
Three satellite‑imagery specialists told Reuters that one of the drones at al-Khadim is most likely a Chinese‑made Fei Long‑1 (Flying Dragon 1 or FL-1), an advanced surveillance and combat drone whose dimensions and wing design distinguish it from the similar Wing Loong II. The two additional, smaller drones seen on 17 December match the size and twin‑boom layout of Turkish Bayraktar TB2s. While several countries manufacture similar designs, the presence of two distinctive double‑antenna ground‑control units, visible in imagery from July through March, strongly indicates TB2 operations at the base, according to all three experts.
Reuters was unable to determine who supplied the drones or when they arrived. Neither Haftar’s LNA nor the governments of China and Turkey, nor the manufacturers Zhongtian Feilong and Baykar, responded to detailed queries. Tripoli’s government also declined to comment. The UAE, a long standing supporter of Haftar, has repeatedly denied providing military support, and its foreign ministry did not respond to questions about the newly observed drones.