Erdogan seeks two-year extension of Turkish military deployment in Somalia
ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has submitted a motion seeking parliamentary approval to keep Turkish troops in Somalia for another two years, extending Ankara’s security and counterterrorism support to the Horn of Africa nation.
In the proposal sent to Turkey’s Grand National Assembly, Erdogan described Somalia’s security and stability as critical to regional peace. The extension would allow Turkish forces to continue offering military training, technical assistance, and advisory services under bilateral defence agreements.
The motion noted that Turkey has built close relations with Somalia since 2011, steadily broadening cooperation across political, economic, social, and security sectors.
Ankara has also continued training Somali security personnel and providing defence assistance through agreements covering military instruction, technical cooperation, the defence industry, and financial support for Somalia’s armed forces, it said.
Although Somali security forces have adequate personnel and equipment, financial limitations continue to restrict their operational capacity, according to the motion.
The document said Somalia’s federal government had asked Turkey to maintain its military assistance under the Defence and Economic Cooperation Agreement between the two countries.
Extending the deployment would support Somalia’s efforts against terrorism, piracy, illegal fishing, human trafficking, and other security threats, the proposal said. It would also help safeguard strategic sea routes in the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, and surrounding waters.
The motion cited a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted on Dec. 1, 2023, and said Ankara believes its continued support will promote Somalia’s long-term stability, improve its capacity to protect national resources, and reinforce its defence and security institutions.
Turkey runs its largest overseas military training base in Somalia and has emerged as one of Mogadishu’s closest security partners.
AXADLETM
