Hours after the TurkSom military academy was targeted by mortar attacks from Alshabaab, General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhuddin, Commander of the Somali National Army, held an emergency meeting with high-ranking Turkish military officials.
According to sources, the meeting took place on Sunday at the Ministry of Defence in Mogadishu and included military officials from the Turkish Air Force, navy, and land forces, as well as the Head of Training of the Turkish Army.
“The commitment from Turkey to strengthen the Somali National Army is stronger than ever,†said General Sebahattin Kalkan, Commander of the TurkSom military academy.
A focal point of the discussions was the increased use of Turkish drones in ongoing offensives against Al-Shabaab. These drones have become an essential tool in countering extremist groups and are expected to play a more central role in future operations.
Turkey has been a cornerstone in fortifying Somalia’s defence capabilities. Nearly 10,000 Somali soldiers have received training, and Turkey has also equipped and trained the elite Gorgor commando forces.
Most of this training occurs at the TurkSom academy, which came under mortar attack earlier in the day, highlighting the urgency of these talks.
On Sunday, eight mortars were unleashed on the Somali capital in various districts of Mogadishu, Among the locations struck was the Turkish military base, TurkSom Academy, where eyewitnesses reported that two mortars directly hit the installation.
The Halane Camp was also targeted; staff reported hearing at least four explosions believed to be mortar fire. However, one of the most tragic incidents occurred in the Tarabush neighbourhood of Wadajir district, where an entire family was affected. Local sources confirm that a pregnant woman succumbed to her injuries in hospital, while four other family members sustained injuries.
Security officials have identified Kahda district in the Banadir region as the origin of the mortar attacks. It’s reported that Al-Shabaab operatives used a vehicle to ascend to higher ground in Kahda, from where they launched the mortars targeting Mogadishu’s residential and strategic locations.
