Turkish F-16s strike Al-Shabaab positions near Somali capital
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkish F-16 fighter jets have carried out airstrikes near Basra in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region, where government troops have been fighting Al-Shabaab for roughly a week, according to local sources.
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The reported strikes hit positions along the Basra riverbank, approximately 35 kilometres (22 miles) northwest of Mogadishu. Local sources said the attacks caused heavy casualties, including deaths and injuries, but the figures could not be independently confirmed.
Somali government forces have spent the past week conducting operations in and around Basra, as well as elsewhere in Middle Shabelle, seeking to drive Al-Shabaab away from strategically important areas along the river.
Neither the Somali nor Turkish government had immediately issued an official statement confirming the airstrikes, identifying their targets or providing a casualty toll.
Turkey has broadened its military and strategic engagement with Somalia in recent years. Ankara established the TURKSOM military training facility in Mogadishu in 2017, and thousands of Somali soldiers have since received training there, deepening defence cooperation between the two countries.
The relationship has also expanded into maritime security, infrastructure and natural resources. The two governments have signed agreements covering the exploration and development of Somalia’s oil and gas reserves.
If confirmed, the deployment of Turkish F-16s near Mogadishu would highlight the expanding reach of Ankara’s military role in Somalia.
AXADLETM
