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Yemen Savaşı ve Suudi Arabistan’ın Paralı Asker Kullanımı

Year 2025, Issue: 44, 207 - 227, 26.05.2025

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Yemen Savaşı'nda Suudi Arabistan'ın paralı asker kullanımını ve etkisini incelemektedir. Suudi Arabistan, düzenli ordusunun yetersizliklerini telafi etmek, askeri operasyonlarda esneklik sağlamak ve savaş maliyetlerini azaltmak amacıyla Afrika ve Latin Amerika başta olmak üzere çeşitli bölgelerden paralı askerler getirmiştir. Paralı askerlerin kullanımı hem resmi kayıpların azaltılması hem de operasyonların uluslararası kamuoyundan gizlenmesi açısından avantajlar sunsa da Yemen'deki hedeflerine ulaşmada başarısız olmuştur. Husilere karşı istenilen üstünlüğün sağlanamaması, bu stratejinin etkisizliğini göstermektedir. Ayrıca, bu durum Suudi Arabistan’ın askeri etkinliğinin sorgulanmasına ve uluslararası alanda prestij kaybına da yol açmıştır. Çalışma, paralı askerlik kavramının tarihi, hukuki çerçevesi ve Yemen'deki uygulamalarını ele alarak, bu yöntemin askeri operasyonlar üzerindeki olumlu ve olumsuz etkilerini kapsamlı bir şekilde değerlendirmektedir.

References

  • Anadolu Ajansı. (2020). Sosyal medya Hafter'in paralı askerlerini ifşa ediyor. Retrieved from https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/sosyal-medya-hafterin-parali-askerlerini-ifsa-ediyor/1726120
  • Barany, Z. (2020). Foreign contract soldiers in the Gulf. Retrieved from https://carnegie-mec.org/2020/02/05/foreign-contract-soldiers-in-gulf-pub-80979
  • Baron, T. (2015). Gulf monarchies love mercenaries. Retrieved from https://warisboring.com/gulf-monarchies-love-mercenaries/
  • Baum, J. A. C., & McGahan, A. M. (2009). Outsourcing war: The evolution of the private military industry after the Cold War. Rotman School of Management.
  • Briton Hadden, & Henry Luce. (1967). Time capsule 1923. New York: Time Incorporated.
  • Cordesman, A. (2018). Military spending: The other side of Saudi security. Retrieved from https://www.csis.org/analysis/military-spending-other-side-saudi-security
  • Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). (2015). A Saudi Arabia defense doctrine for a new era. Retrieved from https://www.csis.org/events/saudi-arabian-defense-doctrine-new-era
  • Çağla, M., & Ali, G. (2023). Armies of war without uniforms: Mercenaries and private military companies in Russia’s interventions in Syria and Ukraine. Journal of Economics and Administrative Science, 24(2), 292–301.
  • Cordesman, A. H., & Obaid, N. (2004). Saudi national security: Military and security services – Challenges & developments. Center for Strategic and International Studies.
  • Dawsari, N. (2020). Running around in circles: How Saudi Arabia is losing its war in Yemen to Iran. Retrieved from https://www.mei.edu/publications/running-around-circles-how-saudi-arabia-losing-its-war-yemen-iran
  • Doğan, S. (2020). Körfez ülkelerinin kiralık/paralı askerleri. Retrieved from https://www.insamer.com/tr/korfez-ulkelerinin-kiralik-parali-askerleri_2769.html
  • Domazeti, R. (2019). Yemen raporu: Çöken devletin enkazında barışı arayan bir halk (2nd ed.). İnsamer, Araştırma: 84.
  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). (1972). National Guard of Saudi Arabia. The UK National Archives.
  • Gjevori, E. (2023). What the Wagner Group's insurrection means for the Middle East and Africa. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/wagner-group-russia-insurrection-middle-east-africa
  • Guzansky, Y., Rakov, D., & Lindenstrauss, G. (2020). The use of mercenaries: A new recourse to an old practice for waging war in the Middle East. Institute for National Security Studies.
  • Hager, E., & Mazzetti, M. (2015). Emirates secretly sends Colombian mercenaries to Yemen fight. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/world/middleeast/emirates-secretly-sends-colombian-mercenaries-to-fight-in-yemen.html
  • Halliday, F. (2013). Mercenaries “Counter-insurgency” in the Gulf. Nottingham: Russell Press.
  • Horton, M. (2017). No exit for Saudi Arabia: The kingdom’s war in Yemen. Retrieved from https://jamestown.org/program/no-exit-saudi-arabia-kingdoms-war-yemen/
  • Isenberg, D. (2009). Shadow force: Private security contractors in Iraq. London: Praeger Security International.
  • Issa, M. (2022). Mercenaries in Yemen: Nationalities, numbers & horrors. Retrieved from https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/mercenaries-in-yemen:-nationalities-numbers-horrors
  • Krieg, A. (2022). The UAE’s ‘dogs of war’: Boosting a small state’s regional power projection. Small Wars & Insurgencies, 33(1–2), 152–172.
  • McFate, S. (2020). Mercenaries and privatized warfare: Current trends and developments. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
  • McFate, S. (2019). Mercenaries and war: Understanding private armies today. Washington: National Defense University Press.
  • Middle East Eye. (2019). Huge Sudanese losses in Yemen highlight fighters' role in the conflict. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/thousands-saudi-paid-sudanese-mercenaries-die-frontline-yemen
  • Middle East Monitor. (2019). What is behind Saudi’s military failures? Retrieved from https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191010-what-is-behind-saudis-military-failures/
  • New York Times. (2016). Quiet support for Saudis entangles U.S. in Yemen. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/14/world/middleeast/yemen-saudi-us.html
  • Nuruzzaman, M. (2016). Saudi Arabia’s defense doctrine is missing something. Retrieved from https://nationalinterest.org/feature/saudi-arabias-defense-doctrine-missing-something-defense-17943
  • NPR. (2018). UAE hired American mercenaries. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2018/10/20/659122523/report-uae-hired-american-mercenaries
  • Percy, S. (2007). Mercenaries: Strong norm, weak law. International Organization, 61(2), 367–397.
  • Pollack, K. M. (2019). Armies of sand: The past, present, and future of Arab military effectiveness. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Pollack, K. M. (2020). Sizing up Little Sparta: Understanding UAE military effectiveness. American Enterprise Institute.
  • Roberts, D. B. (2020). Bucking the trend: The UAE and the development of military capabilities in the Arab world. Security Studies.
  • Roberts, D. (2018). The Gulf monarchies armed forces at the crossroads. Focus Stratégique, 80. Ifri.
  • Saner, E. (2016). The return of the dogs of war: What’s it like to be a soldier for hire? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/06/the-return-of-the-dogs-of-war-whats-it-like-to-be-a-soldier-for-hire
  • Sayed, N. (2017). Somali newspaper reveals Doha recruiting African mercenaries. Retrieved from https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/2/28057/Somali-newspaper-reveals-Doha-recruiting-African-mercenaries
  • Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). (2019). Gulf military spending and arms transfers. Retrieved from https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/201905/fs_1905_gulf_milex_and_arms_transfers.pdf
  • Singer, P. W. (2003). Corporate warriors: The rise of the privatized military industry. London: Cornell University Press.
  • Slijper, F. (2017). The UAE arms transfers and regional conflicts. Retrieved from https://www.paxforpeace.nl/
  • Stevenson, Y. (2019). Saudi’s coalition in Yemen: Militias and mercenaries backed by Western firepower. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudis-coalition-yemen-militias-and-mercenaries-backed-western-firepower
  • Wintour, P. (2019). Houthis claim to have killed 500 Saudi soldiers in major attack. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/29/houthis-claim-killed-hundreds-saudi-soldiers-captured-thousands
  • Wood, J. (2018). Outsourcing war: How foreigners and mercenaries power UAE’s military. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/outsourcing-war-how-foreigners-and-mercenaries-power-uaes-military
  • Taulbee, L. (1998). Reflections on the mercenary option. Small Wars & Insurgencies, 9(2), 145–163. Tangör, B., & Zalçınkaya, H. (2010). Güvenlik yönetişimi çerçevesinde özel askerî şirketler. Uluslararası İlişkiler, 7(25), 127–154.
  • Time. (2011). A history of Middle East mercenaries. Retrieved from http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2045328_2045333_2053107,00.html
  • Topal, H. (2011). The status of the private military companies and their employees in international law. Ankara Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 60(4), 963–1021.
  • UAE Population. (2023). UAE population statistics 2019. Retrieved from https://www.themedialab.me/uae-population-statistics-2019/
  • Varin, C. (2015). Mercenaries, hybrid armies and national security: Private soldiers and the state in the 21st century. London: Routledge.
  • Wezeman, P., Gadon, J., & Wezeman, T. (2023). Trends in international arms transfers – 2022. SIPRI Yearbook 2023.

The Yemen War and Saudi Arabia's Use of Mercenaries

Year 2025, Issue: 44, 207 - 227, 26.05.2025

Abstract

This study provides a detailed examination of Saudi Arabia's use of mercenaries in the Yemen War. To address the shortcomings of its regular army, enhance operational flexibility, and reduce the financial and human costs of war, Saudi Arabia employed mercenaries, primarily from Africa and Latin America. Using mercenaries offered certain advantages, such as minimizing official casualties and enabling covert operations with reduced international scrutiny. However, it failed to achieve the intended objectives in Yemen. The strategy proved ineffective in countering the Houthi forces and highlighted significant gaps in Saudi Arabia's military capabilities. Additionally, the reliance on mercenaries has sparked international debates and negatively impacted Saudi Arabia's regional and global reputation. This study explores the historical background and legal framework of mercenaries, along with their specific roles in Yemen, providing a comprehensive analysis of the advantages and limitations of this approach in military operations.

References

  • Anadolu Ajansı. (2020). Sosyal medya Hafter'in paralı askerlerini ifşa ediyor. Retrieved from https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/sosyal-medya-hafterin-parali-askerlerini-ifsa-ediyor/1726120
  • Barany, Z. (2020). Foreign contract soldiers in the Gulf. Retrieved from https://carnegie-mec.org/2020/02/05/foreign-contract-soldiers-in-gulf-pub-80979
  • Baron, T. (2015). Gulf monarchies love mercenaries. Retrieved from https://warisboring.com/gulf-monarchies-love-mercenaries/
  • Baum, J. A. C., & McGahan, A. M. (2009). Outsourcing war: The evolution of the private military industry after the Cold War. Rotman School of Management.
  • Briton Hadden, & Henry Luce. (1967). Time capsule 1923. New York: Time Incorporated.
  • Cordesman, A. (2018). Military spending: The other side of Saudi security. Retrieved from https://www.csis.org/analysis/military-spending-other-side-saudi-security
  • Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). (2015). A Saudi Arabia defense doctrine for a new era. Retrieved from https://www.csis.org/events/saudi-arabian-defense-doctrine-new-era
  • Çağla, M., & Ali, G. (2023). Armies of war without uniforms: Mercenaries and private military companies in Russia’s interventions in Syria and Ukraine. Journal of Economics and Administrative Science, 24(2), 292–301.
  • Cordesman, A. H., & Obaid, N. (2004). Saudi national security: Military and security services – Challenges & developments. Center for Strategic and International Studies.
  • Dawsari, N. (2020). Running around in circles: How Saudi Arabia is losing its war in Yemen to Iran. Retrieved from https://www.mei.edu/publications/running-around-circles-how-saudi-arabia-losing-its-war-yemen-iran
  • Doğan, S. (2020). Körfez ülkelerinin kiralık/paralı askerleri. Retrieved from https://www.insamer.com/tr/korfez-ulkelerinin-kiralik-parali-askerleri_2769.html
  • Domazeti, R. (2019). Yemen raporu: Çöken devletin enkazında barışı arayan bir halk (2nd ed.). İnsamer, Araştırma: 84.
  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). (1972). National Guard of Saudi Arabia. The UK National Archives.
  • Gjevori, E. (2023). What the Wagner Group's insurrection means for the Middle East and Africa. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/wagner-group-russia-insurrection-middle-east-africa
  • Guzansky, Y., Rakov, D., & Lindenstrauss, G. (2020). The use of mercenaries: A new recourse to an old practice for waging war in the Middle East. Institute for National Security Studies.
  • Hager, E., & Mazzetti, M. (2015). Emirates secretly sends Colombian mercenaries to Yemen fight. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/world/middleeast/emirates-secretly-sends-colombian-mercenaries-to-fight-in-yemen.html
  • Halliday, F. (2013). Mercenaries “Counter-insurgency” in the Gulf. Nottingham: Russell Press.
  • Horton, M. (2017). No exit for Saudi Arabia: The kingdom’s war in Yemen. Retrieved from https://jamestown.org/program/no-exit-saudi-arabia-kingdoms-war-yemen/
  • Isenberg, D. (2009). Shadow force: Private security contractors in Iraq. London: Praeger Security International.
  • Issa, M. (2022). Mercenaries in Yemen: Nationalities, numbers & horrors. Retrieved from https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/mercenaries-in-yemen:-nationalities-numbers-horrors
  • Krieg, A. (2022). The UAE’s ‘dogs of war’: Boosting a small state’s regional power projection. Small Wars & Insurgencies, 33(1–2), 152–172.
  • McFate, S. (2020). Mercenaries and privatized warfare: Current trends and developments. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
  • McFate, S. (2019). Mercenaries and war: Understanding private armies today. Washington: National Defense University Press.
  • Middle East Eye. (2019). Huge Sudanese losses in Yemen highlight fighters' role in the conflict. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/thousands-saudi-paid-sudanese-mercenaries-die-frontline-yemen
  • Middle East Monitor. (2019). What is behind Saudi’s military failures? Retrieved from https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191010-what-is-behind-saudis-military-failures/
  • New York Times. (2016). Quiet support for Saudis entangles U.S. in Yemen. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/14/world/middleeast/yemen-saudi-us.html
  • Nuruzzaman, M. (2016). Saudi Arabia’s defense doctrine is missing something. Retrieved from https://nationalinterest.org/feature/saudi-arabias-defense-doctrine-missing-something-defense-17943
  • NPR. (2018). UAE hired American mercenaries. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2018/10/20/659122523/report-uae-hired-american-mercenaries
  • Percy, S. (2007). Mercenaries: Strong norm, weak law. International Organization, 61(2), 367–397.
  • Pollack, K. M. (2019). Armies of sand: The past, present, and future of Arab military effectiveness. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Pollack, K. M. (2020). Sizing up Little Sparta: Understanding UAE military effectiveness. American Enterprise Institute.
  • Roberts, D. B. (2020). Bucking the trend: The UAE and the development of military capabilities in the Arab world. Security Studies.
  • Roberts, D. (2018). The Gulf monarchies armed forces at the crossroads. Focus Stratégique, 80. Ifri.
  • Saner, E. (2016). The return of the dogs of war: What’s it like to be a soldier for hire? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/06/the-return-of-the-dogs-of-war-whats-it-like-to-be-a-soldier-for-hire
  • Sayed, N. (2017). Somali newspaper reveals Doha recruiting African mercenaries. Retrieved from https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/2/28057/Somali-newspaper-reveals-Doha-recruiting-African-mercenaries
  • Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). (2019). Gulf military spending and arms transfers. Retrieved from https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/201905/fs_1905_gulf_milex_and_arms_transfers.pdf
  • Singer, P. W. (2003). Corporate warriors: The rise of the privatized military industry. London: Cornell University Press.
  • Slijper, F. (2017). The UAE arms transfers and regional conflicts. Retrieved from https://www.paxforpeace.nl/
  • Stevenson, Y. (2019). Saudi’s coalition in Yemen: Militias and mercenaries backed by Western firepower. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudis-coalition-yemen-militias-and-mercenaries-backed-western-firepower
  • Wintour, P. (2019). Houthis claim to have killed 500 Saudi soldiers in major attack. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/29/houthis-claim-killed-hundreds-saudi-soldiers-captured-thousands
  • Wood, J. (2018). Outsourcing war: How foreigners and mercenaries power UAE’s military. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/outsourcing-war-how-foreigners-and-mercenaries-power-uaes-military
  • Taulbee, L. (1998). Reflections on the mercenary option. Small Wars & Insurgencies, 9(2), 145–163. Tangör, B., & Zalçınkaya, H. (2010). Güvenlik yönetişimi çerçevesinde özel askerî şirketler. Uluslararası İlişkiler, 7(25), 127–154.
  • Time. (2011). A history of Middle East mercenaries. Retrieved from http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2045328_2045333_2053107,00.html
  • Topal, H. (2011). The status of the private military companies and their employees in international law. Ankara Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 60(4), 963–1021.
  • UAE Population. (2023). UAE population statistics 2019. Retrieved from https://www.themedialab.me/uae-population-statistics-2019/
  • Varin, C. (2015). Mercenaries, hybrid armies and national security: Private soldiers and the state in the 21st century. London: Routledge.
  • Wezeman, P., Gadon, J., & Wezeman, T. (2023). Trends in international arms transfers – 2022. SIPRI Yearbook 2023.
There are 47 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language Turkish
Subjects Contemporary History of Middle East, International History, Late Modern History of Middle East
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Soner Doğan 0000-0002-8696-3136

Early Pub Date May 23, 2025
Publication Date May 26, 2025
Submission Date December 14, 2024
Acceptance Date April 18, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Issue: 44

Cite

APA Doğan, S. (2025). Yemen Savaşı ve Suudi Arabistan’ın Paralı Asker Kullanımı. TYB Akademi Dil Edebiyat Ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi(44), 207-227.