Türkiye’s Ambassador to Mogadishu, Mehmet Yılmaz, emphasized the critical importance of Türkiye’s military cooperation with Somalia, stating that “Türkiye will have trained one-third of the Somali army initially projected at 15,000 to 16,000 soldiers.”
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Ambassador Yılmaz assessed Türkiye–Somalia bilateral relations across multiple fields including military, healthcare, and education.
He underlined the historic ties between Türkiye and Somalia, highlighting that Türkiye’s engagement significantly deepened after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s 2011 visit to Mogadishu during a severe drought. “President Erdoğan’s visit was a turning point for Somalia and shifted the course of the country’s future,” Yılmaz said. “It brought Türkiye–Somalia relations to a new level.”
Erdoğan was the first non-African leader to visit Somalia in over two decades. His presence, accompanied by his family and a large delegation, was warmly welcomed by the Somali people, Yılmaz noted.
Military Cooperation: “Türkiye’s Training Is Vital for Somalia’s Security”
Ambassador Yılmaz stressed that Türkiye’s military training efforts, conducted at the Turkish Military Task Force Command in Mogadishu — Türkiye’s largest military training base abroad — are instrumental for Somalia’s security and counterterrorism capabilities.
“With AMISOM forces planning a phased withdrawal and under the Somalia Transition Plan, the country must build its own security infrastructure. This makes Türkiye’s role even more significant,” Yılmaz said.
He shared that Türkiye is training the core of Somalia’s officer and non-commissioned officer corps. To date, four battalions have completed training, with the fifth underway, even continuing through the COVID-19 pandemic under strict precautions.
“In total, Türkiye has trained around 2,500 soldiers thus far, and will train 5,000. Given the initial plan for a 15,000–16,000 strong Somali army, Türkiye will have trained one-third of the total force,” Yılmaz added.
He also noted that Türkiye’s police training program in Mogadishu, carried out by the Turkish National Police, has already produced around 600 special operations officers, with a target of 1,000.
Broader Development Support: Education, Infrastructure, and Humanitarian Aid
Ambassador Yılmaz highlighted Türkiye’s continued humanitarian and development aid to Somalia, particularly through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), which has supported agriculture, road construction, lighting projects, and built a temporary parliament building.
The Türkiye Maarif Foundation (TMV) is also actively engaged in education in Somalia, having taken over and improved schools formerly run by the FETÖ organization. Somalia was the first country to shut down FETÖ schools after the failed 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye.
“There is strong demand for TMV schools in Somalia, and the foundation is working hard to improve them,” Yılmaz said, also noting TMV’s presence in Somaliland.
Clarification on Libya Troop Allegations
Addressing allegations that Türkiye requested Somali troops for Libya, Yılmaz firmly rejected the claims: “These are baseless rumors likely driven by misinformation on social media. Türkiye has not requested Somali troops for Libya — there is absolutely no truth to those allegations.”
Ambassador Yılmaz concluded by reaffirming Türkiye’s long-term commitment to Somalia across security, education, and development sectors, emphasizing that the two nations share a deep, people-centered partnership.