For more than 10 years, Turkey has participated in military training and advisory missions in Somalia, which is fighting the radical Islamist militia Al Shabab. The troops will be in Somalia for the next two years.
The Turkish Parliament has approved the deployment of armed forces in Somalia. Turkish troops will support Somalia’s security activities for two years against terrorism and other threats. This also includes the protection of territorial waters.
In February, Türkiye and Somalia They signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement, which also aims to strengthen Somalia’s maritime defense capabilities.
Türkiye has been helping train Somali soldiers and providing military advisors for more than 10 years. Turkey has also participated in the international anti-piracy mission in the Horn of Africa since 2009. Recently, on January 17, the Turkish Parliament extended the mandate of this mission for another year.
Turkish support is not welcome throughout the region
Somaliland, which has unilaterally declared independence from Somalia, rejected the deployment of the Turkish navy to the region.
The statement issued by the Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated: “We firmly oppose the possibility of deploying the Turkish navy in our territorial waters. It is a serious violation of international law“.
Ten days ago, Türkiye announced that it would send a exploration vessel to Somalia to search for oil and gas 50 to 100 kilometers off the Somali coastwithin the framework of the Turkish-Somali economic agreement.
The radical Islamist militia Al-Shabaab has been fighting for decades to overthrow the internationally recognized government of Somalia and establish a fundamentalist Islamic state.
