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Morocco turns to Turkey for weapons imports as Israel ties strain over Gaza

Visitors view a Bayraktar TB3 Armed Unmanned Aerial System on display at the UMEX Exhibition showcasing drones, robotics, and unmanned sytems at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in Abu Dhabi on January 23, 2024. (Photo by Ryan LIM / AFP) (Photo by RYAN LIM/AFP via Getty Images)
To:

Al-Monitor Readers

From:

Francisco Serrano

Journalist and analyst specialized in North Africa

Date:

Mar. 6, 2024

Bottom Line:

Morocco is growing increasingly reliant on Turkey for it weapons supply. In January, the kingdom’s armed forces acquired 200 Cobra 2 armored vehicles worth $136 million from Turkish weapons manufacturer Otokar. After relying almost exclusively on traditional suppliers like the United States and France for most of its arms, Morocco has in recent years diversified its military acquisitions to countries such as Turkey and Israel as it focuses on modernizing its armed forces. However, its previous plans of increasingly relying on Israel to jumpstart its industry might be jeopardized by the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

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