A report by the New York Times has revealed the existence of a secret military base inside Egypt’s East Oweinat agricultural project, which the newspaper says has been used to launch foreign drones carrying out strikes inside Sudan.
According to the report, satellite imagery shows the base has been expanded since 2018. Images reviewed by the newspaper also identified Turkish cargo aircraft and advanced drones at the site in mid-2025.
The report said the drones were used in attacks on targets inside Sudan, resulting in the deaths of both military personnel and civilians. It also documented strikes on military convoys arriving from Libya in November.
The New York Times noted that Sudan’s SAF had previously signed an agreement with Turkey to acquire Bayraktar TB2 drones. However, the aircraft seen at the Egyptian base were identified as the more advanced Akinci model. Witnesses cited in the report said the munitions used in some of the strikes were similar to those deployed by Turkish forces.
Turkey has denied having any military presence in Sudan. Neither Egypt nor the SAF have commented on the report’s findings.
