MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Turkey has deployed 500 troops to the Somali capital Mogadishu, marking the first phase of a larger 2,500-strong contingent aimed at bolstering the Somali government’s defenses amid escalating threats from Al-Shabaab militants, Caasimada Online news website reported on Monday.
Two Turkish military transport aircraft carrying personnel and equipment landed in Mogadishu, where they were received by senior Somali defense officials. The deployment is part of Ankara’s deepening security cooperation with Somalia and follows a formal request from the Somali government.
The move comes in the wake of a major setback for Somali forces, after Al-Shabaab insurgents overran the central command base in Adan Yabal, Middle Shabelle region, last week. The fall of Adan Yabal — preceded by a series of Al-Shabaab advances across dozens of towns and villages — has raised concerns about the militant group’s expanding influence.
Analysts say Turkish troops are expected to focus on securing strategic sites in Mogadishu, including government installations and critical infrastructure. However, Ankara is expected to tread cautiously, seeking to avoid entanglement in Somalia’s protracted conflict while supporting the country’s stabilization efforts.
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