By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Ankara, 5 September 2026 Turkish naval vessels will dock in Mogadishu as part of a mission to support Somalia, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
The vessels will arrive as part of activities of the Somalia Maritime Task Group, which operates under bilateral security cooperation with Somalia, the ministry said.
The deployment is aimed at supporting Somalia's maritime security capabilities and strengthening cooperation between the two countries, according to the ministry.
Turkey and Somalia have expanded defence and security ties in recent years, including cooperation on maritime security and development of Somalia's naval capabilities.
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The Turkish navy has previously deployed vessels off Somalia to support maritime security and protect commercial shipping.
The latest deployment comes after Turkey said it provided support to Somali authorities during efforts to secure the release of hijacked cargo ship MV LUTUF.
The ministry said Turkey, in coordination with its Foreign Ministry, provided support to Somali authorities during the incident, while an operation by Somali authorities led to the pirates abandoning the vessel.