Somalia’s Laftagareen meets Turkish military academy chief to expand security training

BAIDOA, Somalia — South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen met Tuesday with a Turkish military delegation led by Brig. Gen. Sebahattin, commander of Turkey’s Turksom Military Training Academy, to deepen security cooperation and expand training for Somali forces operating in the region, officials said.

The talks at the presidential palace in Baidoa centered on accelerating military training programs, improving operational capacity and sharpening coordination between Somali units and Turkish trainers. Particular emphasis was placed on the Darwish forces and other formations that secure key population centers and supply routes across South West State, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

Both sides underscored the need to raise professional standards, share technical expertise and improve preparedness against ongoing security threats. Somali officials framed the partnership as part of a broader effort to rebuild national security institutions and consolidate recent gains achieved by federal and state forces.

Turkey’s role in rebuilding the Somali National Army featured prominently in the meeting, participants said. Somali authorities view sustained Turkish training and mentorship as essential to stabilizing contested areas and restoring the authority of state institutions across the Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions. Officials at the session said lasting security will depend on steady, coordinated operations and consistent professional development of frontline units.

Laftagareen thanked Ankara for its continued support, describing the relationship as critical to peace, development and the long-term reconstruction of Somalia’s security sector. Brig. Gen. Sebahattin conveyed Turkey’s intent to continue standing by Somalia through training, capacity building and closer day-to-day cooperation with locally deployed forces, according to officials briefed on the talks.

The meeting comes as South West State authorities seek to better integrate regional forces with federally directed operations and clarify command-and-control arrangements for units tackling persistent insurgent threats. Officials said the session reviewed practical steps to streamline training pipelines, align curricula with operational needs and enhance joint planning for deployments.

What the meeting covered, according to officials:

• Scaling up and speeding training rotations for South West State forces, with priority on Darwish units and other security formations.
• Improving coordination, communications and shared planning between Somali forces and Turkish trainers operating in-country.
• Raising professional standards, including leadership development, logistics discipline and unit readiness.
• Deepening technical knowledge transfer to support sustained operations and stabilization tasks.
• Maintaining a sustained, cooperative push against militant groups threatening population centers and infrastructure.

Turksom, Turkey’s military training mission in Somalia, has for years supported the professionalization of Somali forces through instruction, mentoring and embedded advisory teams. Tuesday’s engagement in Baidoa signals an effort to move quickly on those priorities at the state level, where officials say training gains must translate into reliable security and effective governance.

No additional details on timelines or specific training targets were released. Officials said both sides agreed to keep communications open to track progress and adjust support as the security environment evolves.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.