By HAN News Desk
ANKARA — Turkey has established an Air Task Command inside Somalia that includes helicopters, support aircraft and fighter jets, Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said on Tuesday.
Güler made the remarks during the Turkish Parliament’s Annual Evaluation Meeting, where lawmakers questioned him about Turkey’s overseas military engagements. He said the move is part of ongoing defense cooperation between Turkey and Somalia and is aimed at strengthening the training, security and operational capacity of Somali security forces.
According to the defense minister, the Air Task Command will support joint operations, provide air assistance, and enhance the effectiveness of Somalia’s armed forces as they confront security threats, including militant groups.
Turkey has been a key ally of Somalia for more than a decade, providing military training, humanitarian aid and infrastructure support. Ankara operates its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu, where it trains Somali soldiers.
The Somali government has signed multiple bilateral agreements with Turkey in recent years, though officials have not disclosed full details of the latest arrangements related to the air operations command.
Turkey has increasingly expanded its military footprint in Africa, particularly in the Horn of Africa, as part of its broader foreign and security policy.
