Turkey denies sending 15,000 troops to Somalia
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Caasimada Online
Turkey’s Defence Ministry denies plans to send 15,000 soldiers to Somalia, contrary to reports carried by Somali media. Ankara says its troops will continue to train and advise Somali forces and support their fight against armed groups, according to Caasimada.
Turkey on Thursday denied reports that it would send 15,000 soldiers to Somalia at the request of the federal government, the Turkish Defence Ministry said. Ankara said Turkish forces already in the country would continue training and advising Somali forces and providing military support against armed groups linked to Al-Qaida.
The denial comes as Turkish and Somali officials continue security discussions. Turkey’s ambassador to Somalia, Ferhat Alkan, met Somali national security adviser Aweys Xaaji Yuusuf Axmed on Tuesday, then Defence Minister Axmed Macallin Fiqi, to discuss the fight against Al-Shabaab and the strengthening of the Somali armed forces, the state agency SONNA reports.
The controversy also comes as Uganda has begun withdrawing troops deployed in Somalia under a bilateral agreement with Mogadishu. The Ugandan army said on 2 November that the first soldiers had left and that the withdrawal of all its forces was expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
On 10 November, the Somali Defence Minister received the new Turkish ambassador. The development comes after the departure of 109 Ugandan soldiers from Somalia, announced on 30 October.
