Turkey Reaffirms Security Partnership as Somalia Seeks Stronger Military Capabilities

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia and Turkey have discussed expanding military and defence cooperation, including support for the Somali National Army and efforts to counter Al-Shabaab, during talks between senior officials in Mogadishu.

Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi met Turkish General Sabahattin Kılınç, head of the Strategic Joint Command of the Turkish Armed Forces General Staff, to discuss security developments in the Horn of Africa, counterterrorism operations and foreign interference supporting militant groups.

Fiqi thanked the Turkish government for its continued military support to Somalia, particularly its assistance to federal government efforts to combat militant groups and strengthen national security.

The meeting was also attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Defence Ministry, Yusuf Ali Mohamed; Somali National Army Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Mohamed Ali Barise; and TURKSOM Military Training School Commander Major General Sabahattin Kalkan.

The talks come as Somalia continues to rely on international partnerships to rebuild and strengthen its military capabilities while confronting the Al-Shabaab insurgency, which has persisted for more than a decade.

Turkey has become one of Somalia’s key security partners, providing military training, equipment and support through its military training facility in Mogadishu. The TURKSOM base has trained thousands of Somali soldiers since it was opened in 2017.

The two countries have also expanded their defence relationship beyond training, with cooperation covering military capacity-building and broader security interests in the Horn of Africa.