Ankara has been building a facility to host F-16s in Somalia for the past few months
Somalia, Mogadishu (ANN)- Turkey Deploys Military Aircraft to Somalia Amid Regional Competition in the Horn of Africa.
Turkey has been constructing a military aviation facility in Somalia over the past several months that is intended to host F-16 fighter jets, according to regional security sources and defense observers.
The project is part of Turkey’s expanding military and strategic footprint in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia, where Ankara already operates its largest overseas military base and provides training to Somali security forces.
According to regional security sources, Turkey is reportedly transporting F-16 fighter jets and other military aircraft to Somalia as part of efforts to strengthen security cooperation, protect strategic investments, and deepen economic agreements with the Federal Government of Somalia.
According to regional observers, Ankara’s move is driven by growing security challenges in the Horn of Africa and Turkey’s desire to safeguard its expanding interests in Somalia, including investments in ports, airports, energy infrastructure, and fuel facilities. Turkey has become one of Somalia’s most influential partners over the past decade, combining military cooperation with large-scale economic and development projects.
At the same time, Turkey’s increased military activity is widely viewed as part of a broader strategic and geopolitical competition in the region, particularly following Israel’s recent diplomatic recognition of Somaliland.
Somaliland occupies one of the most strategic geographic locations in the Horn of Africa, overlooking key maritime routes in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.
Images circulating alongside the reports show Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft, senior-level diplomatic engagements, and Turkish military transport aircraft, underscoring the deepening defense cooperation between Turkey and Somalia.
Analysts say the planned facility could enhance air operations, logistics, and rapid deployment capabilities, strengthening Somalia’s security infrastructure while extending Turkey’s regional influence across the Red Sea and Indian Ocean corridors.
Neither Ankara nor Mogadishu has issued a detailed public statement outlining the scope, timeline, or operational status of the F-16 facility. However, the development comes amid heightened geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa, where multiple regional and international powers are seeking strategic access.
Since Israel’s recognition of Somaliland after more than 35 years without international recognition, regional dynamics have shifted significantly. Somaliland has long been noted for its relative stability, democratic governance, and peaceful transfers of power, having held multiple elections based on a one-person, one-vote system and witnessed five peaceful presidential transitions. These achievements have attracted growing international attention.
However, Somaliland’s political progress and evolving security posture have also generated tensions with neighboring actors, placing it at the center of regional rivalries. Analysts warn that increased competition among regional and global powers risks undermining democratic gains in Somaliland and escalating political and security confrontations in the wider Horn of Africa.
As Turkey, Israel, and other actors expand their influence, the Horn of Africa is increasingly becoming a focal point for strategic rivalry, with Somalia and Somaliland at the heart of shifting alliances and power balances.
Meanwhile, Turkish media Middle East Eye reported, Turkey deployed three F-16 fighter jets to Mogadishu on Wednesday amid increasing Turkish investments in Somalia’s energy and space sectors.
Somali officials familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye that Ankara has been constructing a facility to host the F-16s over the past few months.
Turkish engineers have reportedly been working at the international airport for several days to prepare the site for the arrival of the jets.
Analysis of satellite images by MEE indicates that several new hangars have been constructed at the airport since September.
Open-source data indicates a number of Turkish cargo flights have taken place in the past 10 days, possibly delivering spare parts and ammunition for the jets.
A source familiar with the deployment told MEE that the F-16s were stationed in Somalia as a precursor to Ankara’s plans to send an oil exploration platform to Somalia.
The platform will start to drill off the Somali coast later this year. A spaceport project in northern Mogadishu is also in the planning stages.
While the Turkish defence ministry did not specifically comment on the issue, ministry sources told local media on Thursday that Ankara does, in fact, maintain an air command in Somalia.
“Our Air Component Command and the Somali-Turkish Task Force based in Somalia continue to contribute to enhancing Somalia’s capacity to combat terrorism through military assistance, training, and advisory activities,” the sources told the local news outlets.
Al-Shabab and Israeli threats
Ankara has for years helped Somalia combat the armed group al-Shabab, which still controls large swathes of territory in the country.
However, Israel’s recognition of the breakaway state of Somaliland earlier this month, along with rising tensions in the Horn of Africa, have made Ankara’s presence in Somalia more critical than ever.
On Wednesday, the Turkish government emphasised Somalia’s territorial integrity in a statement released after the first National Security Council meeting of 2026, the country’s top body overseeing defense matters.
“Turkey’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia was underscored, and it was emphasised that Turkey will continue to uphold the bonds of brotherhood by standing with the Somali people in their fight against terrorist organisations,” the statement said.
On the same day, Somalia’s cabinet unanimously appointed Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud as the new commander of the Somali National Army (SNA).
Mohamud holds a Masters degree from a Turkish university and has also received training at the Turkish Defence University in various capacities.
In addition to a number of armed drones, such as the TB2 Bayraktar and Akinci, MEE previously reported that Ankara deployed three T129 Atak attack helicopters to Mogadishu in June.
At the same time, Turkey handed over two utility helicopters to the Somali navy as part of a defense agreement signed between the two governments in February 2024, which also mandates Ankara to help establish a naval force for Mogadishu.
Since 2011, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has invested heavily in Somalia, establishing the largest Turkish embassy in the world in Mogadishu and providing over $1bn in humanitarian aid in response to devastating droughts.
Clarification on Aid Funds and Revenue Management
Although the Middle East Eye (MEE) report referred to financial assistance linked to drought response efforts, it did not specify whether the funds reached the communities affected by the drought. Araweelo News Network has been unable to independently verify how these funds were managed or distributed.
In addition, Araweelo News Network cannot confirm the mechanisms through which revenue generated from Mogadishu Port and Aden Adde International Airport has been administered, both of which have been operated by Turkish-owned companies for several years. Details regarding the collection, allocation, and oversight of these revenues have not been made publicly available.
As a result, questions remain regarding transparency, accountability, and the broader management of funds linked to Turkish-operated infrastructure and humanitarian assistance in Somalia.
Turkey now operates a large military base in Mogadishu, while Turkish companies manage both the city’s airport and port.
Ankara has also trained thousands of Somali soldiers, representing roughly one-third of Somalia’s military, both in Turkey and at its Mogadishu base, known as Turksom.
By Arraale M Jama Freelance Journalist and Human Rights activist.
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