Illustrative image. (Turkish Ministry of National Defense)
The F-16 fighter jets deployed recently by Turkey at Aden Adde International Airport near the Somali capital, Mogadishu, were spotted on February 3 flying over the Horn of Africa country for the first time.
Videos posted to social networks show one of the fighter jets taking off, and another flying at a low altitude over Mogadishu.
The deployment was first reported by the Middle East Eye (MEE) on January 29. The United Kingdom-based news outlet said that the Turkish Air Force deployed at least three F-16s in Somalia. Neither Turkey nor Somalia has yet issued a statement on the deployment.
According to MEE, the jets were sent to Somalia precursor to Ankara’s plans to send an oil exploration platform to the country. 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.
Over the past decade or so, the Turkish military trained thousands of Somali soldiers both in Turkey and at its Mogadishu base, known as Turksom, to fight Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups. It also deployed combat drones, such as the TB2 Bayraktar and Akinci, in the country. Last year, it was also reported that three T129 Atak attack helicopters were sent to Mogadishu.
However, the recent deployment of the F-16s goes beyond the scope of securing Turkish investments or combating terrorist groups.
The deployment is likely meant to counter Israel, which last month became the first United Nations member state to formally recognize Somaliland, a breakaway region in northern Somalia. The step may be also directed against the United Arab Emirates, which cultivated deep economic and security ties in Somaliland in recent years, and is suspected of playing a role in the Israeli decision.
Turkey is not responding to these recent developments alone. A report by Bloomberg from earlier this month revealed that Saudi Arabia is finalizing an agreement on a new military coalition with Somalia and Egypt. The latter is already working to expand its military mission in Somalia, according to a recent report by The National.
More recent rumors from Egyptian media suggest that Egypt could soon deploy some of its own F-16s at Baledogle Airfield, which is also located near Mogadishu.
The recent steps by Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia will not likely go unanswered for long. A recent report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies revealed that Berbera International Airport in Somaliland is being developed, with new aircraft hangars, expanded aprons, fuel and ammunition storage, logistics facilities, barracks, and possible air defense sites. It is still unclear who is behind this work, but it wont be surprising to see Israel or Emirate fighter jets there soon.
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