Gambia has ordered at least 20 HIZIR 4×4 armoured vehicles from katmerciler in an agreement signed in August 2021.
Furkan Katmerci, the deputy chairperson of the Executive Board of Katmerciler, previously said regarding vehicle, that the company’s “export move toward friendly countries from different parts of the world, particularly Africa, continues.”
In March 2021, Gambian Defense Minister Seikh Omar Faye and some delegates visited Turkey where he was welcomed by Turkey’s National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.
During the meetings, bilateral and regional security, defense matters and cooperation opportunities in the defense industry were discussed.
The Hizir acquisition from katmerciler will help improve the Gambiam military capacity to combat a variety of security challenges.
In Africa, Gambia is the latest Hizir operator, after Kenya and Uganda also acquired the type. Kenya ordered 118 of the type last year, for delivery in 2022-23, while Uganda ordered 30, with deliveries in 2020 in the type’s first export sale.
Katmerciler in July 2021 signed a contract with the Kenyan Defense Ministry to provide the African country with armored vehicle products including the Hızır.
The contract, worth $91.4 million, was dubbed the company’s largest single export deal.