By HAN News Desk
BAIDOA — The President of Somalia’s South West State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, has met a senior Turkish military delegation led by the Commander of Turkey’s Turksom Military Training Academy, Brigadier General Sebahattin.
The meeting took place at the presidential palace in Baidoa and focused on strengthening cooperation in security, military training and capacity-building for Somali forces operating in the South West region.
According to officials, discussions centred on enhancing training programmes for Somali security forces, particularly the South West State’s Darawiish forces and other units deployed across the region. Both sides stressed the importance of accelerating training initiatives, improving professional military skills and sharing expertise related to maintaining security and stability.
The talks also highlighted Turkey’s ongoing role in supporting the reconstruction and development of the Somali National Army. Participants emphasised the need for close coordination to address security challenges, counter armed threats and reinforce stability in areas affected by conflict.
President Laftagareen expressed his appreciation for Turkey’s continued support to Somalia, describing the bilateral partnership as a key pillar for peace, development and the rebuilding of Somalia’s security institutions.
For his part, Brigadier General Sebahattin reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to sustaining its assistance to Somalia, particularly in the areas of military training, professional development of security forces and strengthening security cooperation.
Turkey has been one of Somalia’s most prominent international partners over the past decade, providing military training, development aid and infrastructure support, including through the Turksom Military Training Camp in Mogadishu, which plays a central role in training Somali security forces.
