(02-10-23) MOGADISHU — Hours after the TurkSom military academy was targeted by mortar attacks from Al-Shabaab, General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhuddin, Commander of the Somali National Army, held an emergency meeting with high-ranking Turkish military officials. The meeting took place on Sunday at the Ministry of Defence in Mogadishu and included military officials from the Turkish Air Force, navy, and land forces, as well as the Head of Training of the Turkish Army.
“The commitment from Turkey to strengthen the Somali National Army is stronger than ever,” said General Sebahattin Kalkan, Commander of the TurkSom military academy. A focal point of the discussions was the increased use of Turkish drones in ongoing offensives against Al-Shabaab. These drones have become an essential tool in countering extremist groups and are expected to play a more central role in future operations.
Turkey has been a cornerstone in fortifying Somalia’s defence capabilities. Nearly 10,000 Somali soldiers have received training, and Turkey has also equipped and trained the elite Gorgor commando forces. Most of this training occurs at the TurkSom academy, which came under mortar attack earlier in the day, highlighting the urgency of these talks.
Both countries express a mutual commitment to accelerate ongoing training programmes and possibly augment drone strikes against Al-Shabaab for both intelligence and combat purposes. The emergency talks on Sunday signify a bilateral resolve to ensure stability in Somalia and neutralise the threat posed by Al-Shabaab.
Halqabsi News
