According to Anadolu, a Turkish news agency, Turkish-Somali relations have experienced great success over the years, and as part of their strategy of cooperation, Turkey has trained one-third of the Somali military forces.
Turkey’s Ambassador to Mogadishu Mehmet Yılmaz told Anadolu Agency in remarks regarding bilateral relations, ‘When we look at the total numbers, Turkey will have trained one-third of Somali military forces, estimated to be around 15,000-16,000 personnel.’
The Ambassador also mentioned that the two countries cooperate in different sectors, including health and education. Regarding military cooperation between the two countries, Yılmaz said Turkey’s involvement in Somalia is of ‘critical importance’.
Stating that the international community’s biggest expectation from Somalia is the training of units that will ensure safety in the country, he noted the debates regarding the possible withdrawal of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces from the country.
He revealed that sergeants and noncommissioned officers, who will make up the backbone of the Somali military, are being trained in Camp TURKSOM, a defense university and a Turkish military base and added that the training provided is high-quality commando training.
