Turkey boosts military presence in Somalia

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Turkey has significantly increased its military presence in Somalia this week, nearly doubling its personnel and deploying advanced armed drones, following recent territorial gains by the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group.

Sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye that the move reflects growing concern in Ankara over the volatile security situation in the Horn of Africa nation.

According to the sources, approximately 500 additional Turkish troops have been deployed to Somalia, bringing the total contingent to nearly 1,000.

The reinforcements are tasked with securing and maintaining Turkey’s key Turksom military base near Mogadishu – one of Turkey’s largest overseas military facilities, established in 2017 to train the Somali National Army – operating armed drones for precision strikes against Al-Shabaab militants and providing enhanced security for the city’s strategic ports.

Responding to Al-Shabaab advances

The increased deployment comes in the wake of strategic advances made by Al-Shabaab forces in March in areas surrounding the capital. This deterioration in security prompted Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s visit to Ankara, where he held private talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The meeting, attended only by Somalia’s then-defence minister, occurred without immediate official details but fuelled speculation regarding expanded Turkish military assistance.

A senior Turkish official, speaking to Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that Ankara plans to reinforce its counter-terrorism support for Mogadishu “at a later stage,” without providing specifics on the timing or nature of the future support.

Analysts monitoring Turkey’s engagement and Somalia’s internal dynamics suggest that Al-Shabaab’s recent momentum is partly attributed to deepening political divisions between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration and opposition factions within Somalia’s complex federal system.

Some experts suspect that elements within the opposition may be tacitly overlooking or failing to adequately counter the group’s movements ahead of crucial presidential elections expected next year, potentially seeking to weaken the current government’s standing.

Role of the Turkish reinforcements

Regional sources familiar with Turkey’s military operations in Mogadishu corroborated the deployment details provided to Middle East Eye. They indicated that roughly 300 Turkish commandos were sent specifically to reinforce the protection of Turkish facilities and assets in Mogadishu and aid in the ongoing training and advice of Somali forces.

An additional 200 personnel were reportedly deployed to bolster Turkey’s armed drone operations, which have gradually increased in frequency and intensity over the past month.

The sources added that while Turkey’s widely utilized TB2 Bayraktar drones have previously been active in Somalia, Ankara recently deployed two advanced Akinci unmanned aerial vehicles.

The Akinci, known for its high-altitude capability, long endurance, advanced sensor suite, and sophisticated night vision systems, is considered more effective against a dispersed and often nocturnal insurgency like Al-Shabaab.

“The Akinci are better suited for targeting Al-Shabaab, which often operates at night to evade detection,” one source with knowledge of the deployments told Middle East Eye. The drones’ ability to operate for extended periods around the clock provides persistent surveillance and strike capability.

Direct combat role limited

Despite the significant increase in military assets and personnel, another regional source indicated that Turkey currently has no plans for direct ground combat operations against Al-Shabaab militants. Such an intervention would reportedly require formal approval from the Turkish Parliament, which has not been sought.

“Turkish forces are primarily there to protect Turkish assets and train and advise Somali troops,” the source explained. “They would only engage Al-Shabaab directly for self-defense purposes if necessary.”

A second Turkish official highlighted that control of Somali airspace currently rests predominantly with US forces operating under the US Africa Command (Africom) banner. This necessitates close coordination between Turkish air operations and Africom.

“‘US forces sometimes ask for our assistance with targeting operations,’ the official said,” indicating a level of operational cooperation and downplaying any reports of tension between Ankara and Washington regarding their respective military and political engagements in Mogadishu.

Meanwhile, reports claiming Turkey had transferred Turkish-made T-129 helicopters to Somalia were denied by Somali sources.

These sources told Middle East Eye that Somali pilots are still undergoing comprehensive training on the aircraft in Turkey. However, they added that the pilot training is expected to conclude within the next two months, potentially allowing the Somali army to operate the helicopters domestically later this year.

Another source stated that Ankara also plans to continue the deployment of Somali forces trained at specialized Turkish facilities located in Isparta and Izmir, highlighting Turkey’s long-term investment in building the Somali National Army’s capacity.

Adding another layer of international assistance, Qatari government aircraft delivered additional ammunition to Mogadishu this week, providing essential supplies for the Somali forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations.

“Turkey is further expected to deploy more drones and provide artillery support if requested,” the source added, signaling Ankara’s potential readiness to provide broader military assistance, particularly regarding firepower and surveillance, as the security situation requires.

Turkey’s deepened engagement underscores its strategic importance to Somalia and its commitment to supporting the government’s fight against militant groups.