(22 Apr 2025) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) – Around 500 additional Turkish troops have arrived in Somalia aboard Qatari Air Force planes on Monday and Tuesday, with more deployments expected in the coming weeks and months, diplomatic and military sources told Halqabsi News.
The deployment follows high-level talks between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier this April in Ankara, where both sides reportedly agreed to scale up military cooperation to a contingent of 4,000 soldiers.
The new troops are expected to support joint Turkish-Somali infrastructure and energy projects, including the development of a planned rocket launch site and ongoing oil exploration operations. A portion of the soldiers will also assist in air support and military training for Somali security forces.
No private military involvement has been confirmed as part of the mission, according to sources familiar with the deployment.
Turkey has maintained a military footprint in Somalia since 2017, primarily through the TurkSom training base in Mogadishu, which has produced thousands of elite Somali forces, including the Gorgor and Haramcad units.
The expansion follows the Turkish parliament’s approval in July 2024 of a presidential motion authorising military deployment in Somalia for two years to bolster counter-terrorism and national security efforts.
Ankara’s deepening role in Somalia reflects a growing strategic partnership, with Turkish military, humanitarian, and commercial initiatives playing a pivotal role in Somalia’s stabilisation efforts.
Halqabsi News
