Turkey Extends Military Deployment in Somalia by Two Years, Expanding Scope of Mission

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Turkey’s parliament has approved a two-year extension of the deployment of Turkish forces in Somalia, expanding the scope of their mission as Ankara deepens its long-running security partnership with the nation.

The new mandate, approved following a request by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will take effect when the current authorization expires in July 2027. In addition to extending the deployment, lawmakers widened the mission to allow Turkish forces to operate both on land and in Somalia’s maritime domain.

Turkey has become one of Somalia’s closest security partners over the past decade, providing military training, defence cooperation and security advice. Ankara says its presence is aimed at strengthening Somalia’s security institutions and supporting efforts to combat the Islamist militant group al Shabaab, which continues to wage an insurgency despite sustained military operations by Somali forces and international partners.

This comes at a time when Somalia continues to host several foreign military missions and bilateral security partnerships, reflecting the country’s ongoing efforts to rebuild its security sector while confronting persistent militant attacks.

Turkey’s role has grown steadily since it opened its largest overseas military training facility in Mogadishu in 2017. The base has trained thousands of members of the Somali National Army and remains central to Ankara’s defence cooperation with Somalia.

The two countries have also expanded ties beyond security. In recent years, they have signed agreements covering defence, maritime security and energy cooperation, including a framework that has seen Turkey increase its involvement in protecting Somalia’s coastline and supporting offshore exploration activities.

Security analysts say the expanded Turkish mandate underscores Ankara’s long-term strategic commitment to Somalia. However, they note that the effectiveness of any foreign military support will ultimately depend on the ability of Somali security institutions to consolidate territorial gains, improve coordination among security forces and sustain operations against al Shabaab.

The extension is expected to reinforce Turkey’s role as a key international partner in Somalia, even as debate continues within the country over the long-term role of foreign forces in supporting national security and state-building efforts.