Turkey F-16 jets fly over Mogadishu as Somalia opposition protests begin

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Turkey flew two F-16 fighter jets over the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Sunday, on the first day of opposition protests over alleged government land grabs and the displacement of residents, in a move analysts say signals Ankara’s strong backing for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud days before the end of his term.

The low flights by the Turkish warplanes came amid rising political tensions in Somalia, where opposition leaders accuse the federal government of preparing to extend its mandate beyond 15 May. The demonstrations, which were scheduled to begin on Sunday, were organised by opposition figures protesting against what they describe as state-led land seizures, forced displacement of civilians and increasing authoritarianism in Mogadishu.

The Somali government also deployed dozens of Turkish-supplied armoured personnel carriers and tanks across major intersections in Mogadishu overnight in an apparent effort to prevent demonstrations planned by the opposition. Witnesses said heavily armed security forces were stationed at key roads, government buildings and strategic junctions across the capital.

Security forces additionally surrounded the residences of opposition leaders with dozens of military vehicles and hundreds of troops, most of them Turkish-trained paramilitary police and members of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) special units.

The visible military deployment and the presence of Turkish fighter jets over Mogadishu marked one of the strongest public displays of support yet by Ankara for the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, whose current term is due to end in just days.

“Turkey now embroiled in Somalia contest,” said Rashid Abdi, a Horn of Africa analyst with Nairobi-based Sahan Research.

“At dawn on Sunday, Turkish F-16 jets scrambled, break sound barrier over Mogadishu on day 1 of national protest against state-led land grabs and dictatorship,” he added.

Abdi said Ankara’s actions were intended to send a political message to opposition figures and government critics as uncertainty grows over Somalia’s political future.

“Ankara’s robust show of military might is designed to intimidate the Somali opposition and demonstrate strong support for beleaguered HSM government,” he said.

The developments come weeks after Somali senator and academic Professor Abdi Ismail Samatar accused Turkey of exploiting Somalia’s resources and supporting what he described as an illegitimate administration in Mogadishu.

“Turkish vessels are prospecting and drilling for oil in Somali waters. This is exceptionally alarming as the entire affair is illegal. President Erdogan and his people know that the so-called defense and petroleum agreements between Türkiye and Somalia are fraudulent. The Somali Parliament has yet to see the texts of the two ‘agreements’,” Professor Samatar said.

“Despite knowing these facts, the Turkish leadership has decided to ignore them and proceed with the exploration. This behavior and actions make Türkiye resources pirates. No amount of masquerading will alter the facts as well as Ankara’s guilt in conniving with an illegitimate and derelict Regime in Mogadishu,” he added.

The senator also criticised Ankara’s military support for the federal government.

“What was also equally troubling, is the use of Türkiye military resources by Villa Somalia to shore up the sinfully corrupt dictatorship in Mogadishu whose tenure ends in less than a month. Ankara has found solace in silence, but the Somali people will not forget Türkiye’s great deception,” he said.

Turkey has significantly expanded its political, military and economic influence in Somalia over the past decade. Ankara operates its largest overseas military training facility in Mogadishu and has trained thousands of Somali soldiers and police officers. Turkish companies are also heavily involved in infrastructure, port management and construction projects across Somalia.

Turkey recently used its air power to support a military offensive in which the federal government removed the South West regional president, Abdiasis Laftagaren, from power after relations between him and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud deteriorated in late March.

Turkey’s latest show of military support in Mogadishu has intensified concerns over the possibility of deeper involvement if the political standoff between the opposition and Villa Somalia continues beyond 15 May.

The federal government has insisted it will remain in office, while opposition leaders have vowed to resist any extension of the president’s term. Political tensions have steadily increased in recent weeks, raising fears of possible clashes between rival military factions in the capital.

The situation has also raised questions over how Somalia’s international partners, including the United States and the European Union, will respond.

For decades, Western partners have played a leading role in Somalia’s state-building efforts and invested billions of dollars in stabilisation programmes, while largely avoiding direct involvement in internal political disputes.

Analysts warn that escalating tensions, combined with increasing foreign involvement, could risk undermining fragile gains made after years of conflict and instability, and potentially push Somalia closer to renewed political violence or even another civil war if the current standoff remains unresolved.

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