Erdogan seeks two-year extension for Turkish military deployment in Somalia
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has asked Turkey's parliament to extend the country's military mission in Somalia for two more years. If approved, the mandate beginning on July 27, 2026 would run until July 2028 and could cover Somali territory and maritime zones. Erdogan would set the force's size, scope and timing. The parliamentary motion says the deployment will support military training, technical advice and the rebuilding of Somalia's defence institutions. It also lists terrorism, piracy, illegal fishing and smuggling among the threats the mission would address. The report says Somalia's government formally requested continued Turkish assistance. Why it matters: Turkey already has a long security presence in Somalia. TURKSOM has operated in Mogadishu since 2017, and the countries expanded their relationship through a defence and economic agreement in 2024. The motion would continue that support, but it remains a request requiring parliamentary approval.
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