Somali police officers trained in Turkey are fighting on the frontlines of the country’s war against al-Shabaab, leading counterterrorism and special operations units against the group that controls swaths of territory in central and southern Somalia.
In mid-October, more than 300 members of Somalia’s national police force returned home after spending months of intensive counterterrorism, public safety and leadership training at the Turkish Police Academy in Ankara. The program is part of a bilateral deal aimed at refining Somalia’s internal security and fight against violent extremism.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to a safer and more stable Somalia,” Brig. Gen. Ahmed Ali Nur, Somalia’s deputy police commissioner, told African Impact magazine. “The training has equipped our officers with modern policing skills, discipline, and the confidence to protect citizens more effectively.”
In April 2024, Turkey, which also trains the Somali Army’s special forces, agreed to restart the police training program years after it stopped. Two months earlier, the countries signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement to improve bilateral relations and regional stability.
Turkish Gendarmerie Col. Tansu Utku, interior counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, said Turkey’s law enforcement expertise has been instrumental in rebuilding Somalia’s police institutions, following the reestablishment of the federal government in 2012.
“Transferring the experience gained over the years by the law enforcement agencies affiliated with our Interior Ministry to the law enforcement agencies of friendly and allied countries significantly contributes to security on a global and regional scale,” Utku told Anadolu Agency.
Turkish Interior Ministry spokesperson Selin Kaya told African Impact magazine the cooperation is “a partnership built on mutual respect and shared vision,” adding that Turkey remains committed to supporting Somalia’s ongoing fight against terrorism and organized crime.
A map released by the Critical Threats Project on April 17 showed that al-Shabaab had reestablished control in key areas including El Bur, El Dheere, Mahas and Adan Yabaal across the Galgudud, Mudug, and Hiraan regions. These gains allow al-Shabaab to reconnect support zones across central and southern Somalia and threaten key roadways linking Mogadishu to the country’s interior.
On April 21, Turkey deployed at least 400 troops to the Camp TurkSom military base in Mogadishu, Somalia’s Hiiran Online news site reported. The troops are part of a broader contingent of 2,500 Soldiers approved for deployment by Turkey in July 2024. The Turkish forces will help build a rocket launch test site and provide air support and military training for Somali troops, among other things.
“Turkey’s deployment aims to help ‘boost the city’s defenses’ and ‘protect key installations,’” Rashid Abdi, research director at the Sahan Global think tank, told Hiiran Online.
In late May, Turkey deployed an additional 500 Turkish troops, including 300 commandos and 200 drone operators, to Camp TurkSom, which opened in 2017 and has since trained around 16,000 Somali Soldiers, including elite units like the Gorgor Commandos and Haramad paramilitary police.
According to Somali Magazine, a key aspect of the deployment is the introduction of the Turkish-made Akinci drone, which is equipped with night vision and capable of flying for up to 24 hours. The drone will help track and strike al-Shabaab targets, especially at night, when the group is more active. Officials said more Turkish drones could be deployed, and artillery support could be provided if necessary.
While al-Shabaab is notoriously resilient, Somali and international forces have had recent success against the group. On October 27, a precision airstrike in the Jubaland town of Bu’aale, killed Mohamud Abdi Hamud, also known as Jacfar Gurey, a founding member of the terrorist group who served as its intelligence chief.
The operation that killed Gurey indicated “strong coordination and unity of purpose between the Federal Government of Somalia and its international partners in the ongoing fight against Al-Shabaab, aimed at ensuring security, stability, and lasting peace for the Somali people,” the Somali Defense Ministry said.