A reported Turkish airstrike in Somalia’s Doolow District has triggered a sharp rebuke from Jubaland, which said the overnight operation injured five people and raised fresh questions about Türkiye’s military and political role in the country.
In a statement, Jubaland’s Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism said Turkish military aircraft targeted the residence of Mahad Abdirahman Adan, a former commander of Somalia’s Federal Government Custodial Corps.
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Jubaland said the operation involved two missiles, one of which hit the residence of the Chairman of Doolow District.
The administration said Adan and four other civilians sustained injuries.
Jubaland alleged that Adan was singled out because of his political views, but offered no evidence to substantiate the claim.
“Jubaland strongly condemns the airstrike carried out last night by Turkish military aircraft in Doolow District, Gedo Region.”
The administration said Doolow had experienced more than a decade without major security incidents and questioned the justification for launching a missile attack in the town.
It called the reported strike a serious escalation that could further inflame Somalia’s political divisions and establish a dangerous precedent.
Jubaland also accused Türkiye of permitting its military capabilities to be deployed against people whose political positions differ from those of Somalia’s outgoing President.
The administration urged international partners to investigate Türkiye’s role in the reported incident closely.
It appealed specifically to the United Nations, African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, United States and European Union to attach serious importance to the reported operation.
“This grave act reflects the dangerous direction in which the outgoing President, who continues to remain in office without legal legitimacy, together with the Government of Türkiye that supports him, is taking the country.”
Jubaland further questioned whether Türkiye could continue to serve as a credible mediator in Somalia’s internal political disputes.
According to the administration, the reported military action showed that Türkiye had aligned itself with one side of Somalia’s political divide.
It warned that such conduct could weaken dialogue and complicate efforts to bring Somali stakeholders with competing political views to the negotiating table.
Jubaland also asked the United Nations to revisit its decision to lift the arms embargo on Somalia.
The administration said weapons delivered to Somalia should come with dependable systems for their control, management and accountability.
“Jubaland further calls on the United Nations to urgently reconsider the decision to lift the arms embargo on Somalia until a responsible government is in place and reliable mechanisms are established to ensure the proper control, management, and accountability of weapons provided to Somalia by the international community.”
The statement gave no further account of what led to the reported airstrike or identified the military objective of the operation.
It did not include responses from Türkiye or Somalia’s Federal Government, and the allegations could not be independently verified.
Türkiye maintains extensive military and defence cooperation with Somalia and has also taken part in diplomatic initiatives related to the country.
