MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkey has deployed M48 and M60 Patton main battle tanks to Somalia, with a shipment arriving at Mogadishu’s port this week in a move that signals a sharp expansion of Ankara’s military footprint in the Horn of Africa.
Footage obtained by Axadle and corroborated by eyewitnesses showed the armored vehicles being offloaded and moving in a heavily guarded convoy through the capital. The deployment is aimed at securing high-stakes aerospace and satellite infrastructure under development in Somalia, according to people familiar with the matter.
- Advertisement -
Sources say the tanks are being positioned to protect Turkish facilities in the Warshiikh area, about 60 kilometers north of Mogadishu. The site is reportedly being developed for missile and satellite launch capabilities, leveraging Somalia’s proximity to the equator, a location prized in aerospace ballistics for fuel efficiency and payload advantages.
The arrival of heavy armor follows a spate of militant attacks targeting Turkish personnel and infrastructure. Turkey has for years operated TURKSOM, its largest overseas military training base, in Mogadishu. But the introduction of main battle tanks suggests a shift toward a more robust, independent defensive posture to secure strategic assets as construction advances.
“The security of the Warshiikh installations is a top priority for Ankara,” said a regional security analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity. “With the aerospace project moving into a sensitive phase involving satellite and missile infrastructure, these tanks provide a necessary deterrent against asymmetric threats in the Shabelle region.”
The armor deployment coincides with Turkey’s recent movement of F-16 fighter jets to the region, underscoring a wider commitment to defend what sources describe as multibillion-dollar investments across Somalia’s energy and technology sectors. Neither the Somali Ministry of Defense nor the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu has released details on the number of tanks or the length of their deployment.
While the government has not commented publicly, the visible presence of tracked armor on Mogadishu’s roads marks a new phase in Turkey’s role in Somalia’s security architecture. It also highlights the increasing strategic importance of the Warshiikh corridor as a hub for dual-use infrastructure with both civilian and defense applications.
The use of Patton-series tanks — battlefield workhorses upgraded and fielded by numerous militaries — suggests a focus on reliable force protection in terrain where insurgent groups have historically exploited gaps in perimeter security and mobility. Analysts say such platforms can bolster fixed-site defense, reinforce convoy protection and project a deterrent effect beyond their immediate operating area.
Key details remain unclear, including the precise timeline for the aerospace project and whether additional Turkish ground or air assets will be assigned to safeguard related facilities. For now, the tanks’ arrival, the fortified convoy movements through Mogadishu, and stepped-up security postures around Warshiikh indicate that the project has entered a more sensitive stage.
- What arrived: M48 and M60 Patton main battle tanks.
- Where: Offloaded at Mogadishu port; headed toward the Warshiikh area north of the capital.
- Why: To secure Turkish aerospace and satellite infrastructure and deter militant threats.
- What’s unknown: Total number of tanks and deployment duration; no official statements yet.
- What’s next: Continued force protection as the aerospace project advances; recent F-16 deployments point to a broader security umbrella.
The Turkish moves reflect the rising strategic stakes attached to aerospace development near the equator and the risks faced by foreign-backed projects in Somalia. With no timeline disclosed and an elevated security presence now visible, Ankara appears intent on hardening defenses around one of its most sensitive ventures in the region.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
