MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkish F-16 fighter jets conducted test flights over Mogadishu on Wednesday morning, signaling an expanded military footprint by Ankara in Somalia, according to people familiar with the deployment and local media reports.
At least three F-16s arrived in Somalia last Wednesday as part of Turkey’s broadened security support to the Horn of Africa nation, the sources said. The flights were described as tests intended to assess the aircrafts’ readiness and capabilities for future operations while reinforcing Somalia’s defense capacity.
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Neither Turkish nor Somali officials have publicly confirmed the deployment. The activity in Mogadishu coincides with Turkey sending oil exploration vessels to Somali waters, which are expected to receive security support, according to the same sources.
Turkey maintains a large military base on the outskirts of Mogadishu that opened in 2017. Estimated to have cost nearly $100 million, the facility trains Somali forces and supports ongoing security operations in and around the capital.
Somali authorities have turned to international partners to bolster their armed forces and stabilize key population centers in the face of persistent security threats. Turkish military assistance has focused on training and equipping Somali units, and the arrival of fighter jets would mark a visible escalation of Turkey’s on-the-ground and now in-the-air presence.
Witnesses reported the jets flying low over parts of Mogadishu on Wednesday morning during what appeared to be controlled test sorties. Details on basing arrangements, mission duration and operational rules were not disclosed by the sources.
The reported deployment underscores Turkey’s deepening role in Somalia at a moment when Ankara is moving to expand its offshore energy exploration. The parallel track — security cooperation and energy interests — places Turkey among the most consequential foreign actors operating in the country.
Local outlet Axadle first reported the sightings of the F-16s over Mogadishu.
Officials in Ankara and Mogadishu did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
