Ankara sends drones, ammunition, commandos but still avoids directly engaging the armed Somali group on the ground.
Turkey has boosted its military presence in Somalia this week following Al-Shabab’s recent offensive near Mogadishu, deepening Ankara’s concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the country, several sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
Al-Shabab has made significant gains in central Somalia, notably capturing villages south of the capital Mogadishu last month.
These areas are strategically important for Somali forces as they serve as a buffer zone to defend the capital from terrorist attacks, including car bombings.
This week, Turkey deployed nearly 500 soldiers to Somalia, almost doubling its usual military personnel.
These forces are tasked with protecting and maintaining the Turkish military base, Turksom, as well as operating armed drones and protecting Mogadishu ports.
Turkey has maintained a significant presence in Mogadishu since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s first visit to Somalia in 2011 under a humanitarian mission.
Since then, the relationship has deepened into a comprehensive commercial and security partnership.
Turkish companies operate both Mogadishu’s airport and seaport, while Turkish state-owned oil firms conduct energy exploration missions on land and at sea, supported by Turkish naval forces.
Ankara has also formally pledged to protect Somali territorial waters and assist in the extraction of maritime resources, including fisheries along Somalia’s coast.
Following several strategic advances by Al-Shabab in March, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Ankara and met with President Erdogan in a closed-door meeting attended only by Somalia’s then-defense minister.
The contents of the meeting remain undisclosed as it raised expectations on Turkey’s potential aid to this country.
A senior Turkish official told MEE that Ankara plans to deepen its counterterrorism support to Mogadishu over time but declined to provide specifics.
