Somalia’s defense minister said Türkiye has deployed F-16 fighter jets to the country to bolster the Somali army’s operations against insurgents, as Ankara deepens its security partnership with Mogadishu.
Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi made the remarks during a ceremony at the defense ministry headquarters in Mogadishu, saying the jets were meant to strengthen Somalia’s air capability and provide strategic support for counterterrorism efforts.
Somali government sources said three Turkish F-16s landed at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu on Jan. 28, while no official figure has been released for the overall deployment.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the aircraft flying over the capital, drawing public attention in a city where such flights are rarely seen, according to regional reporting.
Türkiye has not publicly provided operational details. In a separate briefing, Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said its air component command in Somalia had been “strengthened with new deployments,” without specifying assets.
The comments came as Somali forces have intensified operations against al-Shabab in parts of the country’s south and center, where the group has continued to stage attacks.
Separately, Somalia’s federal Cabinet this week approved a set of maritime trade agreements, including a maritime cooperation deal with Türkiye covering port modernization, ship traffic improvements, technical cooperation and mutual recognition of seafarers’ competency certificates.
Somalia also moved to join several international maritime conventions, including the 1969 Tonnage Measurement convention, the 2007 Nairobi Wreck Removal convention and the 2006 Maritime Labour Convention.
The reported move comes as tensions have risen across the Horn of Africa after Israel’s decision in late December 2025 to recognize Somaliland — a move Ankara has condemned as illegal and destabilizing.
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 but has long lacked international recognition, while Ethiopia’s 2024 memorandum with Somaliland over sea access triggered a dispute with Somalia that Türkiye later helped steer into talks under the “Ankara Declaration.”
Ankara has also expanded its economic footprint in Somalia, including agreements in the energy sector — with Türkiye planning to begin offshore drilling in 2026 — and cooperation in space and satellite projects.
