MOGADISHU, — Turkey is expanding its military footprint in Somalia, with security officials and regional outlets reporting that Ankara has deployed at least three U.S.-made F-16s to Mogadishu as part of broader support against al-Shabaab. Independent confirmation remains limited, but multiple reports describe a growing Turkish air and advisory presence.
Ankara’s Air Component Command is expected to continue capacity-building for Somali forces through training, advisory missions and technical assistance. Turkey already runs Camp TURKSOM in Mogadishu—its largest overseas military training facility—where thousands of Somali soldiers have reportedly been trained since 2017.
The move comes as Somalia faces renewed pressure from al-Shabaab, which continues to target government institutions, security personnel and civilian sites despite sustained operations by Somali forces, African Union partners and international allies.
Analysts say Turkey’s growing role could improve Somalia’s short-term strike and training capacity, but long-term gains will still depend on coordination between federal and regional authorities, force cohesion, and sustained logistics on the ground.
