The Federal Government of Somalia has strongly condemned what it describes as a smear campaign aimed at undermining the longstanding strategic partnership between Ankara and Mogadishu, as the two countries continue to deepen cooperation across security, defence, infrastructure and economic development.

The government says relations between Türkiye and Somalia have evolved from humanitarian assistance into a broader, mutually beneficial partnership, with Ankara playing a significant role in supporting Somalia’s institutional development, strengthening its security forces and advancing economic cooperation.

The latest tensions follow allegations by a section of Somali opposition leaders and politicians that the federal government has used excessive force against political opponents, with some alleging that Türkiye’s security cooperation with Mogadishu has been linked to such operations.

Strategic partnership

The Somali government has rejected those allegations, portraying them as part of an effort to discredit Türkiye’s role in Somalia and undermine a strategic partnership that Mogadishu says is founded on mutual interests, sovereignty and long-term cooperation.

Somalia’s Information Minister Abdifatah Kassim has accused unnamed actors of orchestrating a smear campaign against Türkiye and seeking to undermine the strategic partnership he described as central to the country’s security and development between Mogadishu and Ankara.

Speaking in Mogadishu on Saturday, Kassim questioned the persistent focus on Türkiye’s role in Somalia and accused what he described as “hired and organised” individuals of trying to damage relations between the two countries.

“Why is Türkiye being mentioned repeatedly every day now?” Kassim said. “There are hired and organised people who want to tarnish the strategic agreement between Somalia and Türkiye.”

He said the bilateral relationship had evolved from humanitarian assistance into a broader strategic partnership spanning security, economic development and public services.

“Türkiye did not just arrive now. Türkiye did not just begin standing in solidarity with the Somali people,” Kassim said.

He added that Türkiye had supported Somalia at a critical stage in its recovery, when the rest of the world stood watching.

'Beyond dependence'

“Türkiye came to Somalia at a difficult time and helped the country emerge from that difficult situation. On the military side, it helped build our forces; on the economic side, it supported infrastructure; and in public services, it helped establish critical services needed by the Somali people.”

‘Somalia has moved beyond’ dependence

Kassim said Somalia had moved beyond a period in which it was primarily dependent on external assistance and was now seeking to take greater responsibility for its security, resources and institutions.

“Somalia has moved beyond the stage where it was simply being assisted,” he said. “We are now at a stage where we sign agreements, explore our natural resources and rebuild our own forces.”

The minister said the changing role of international actors meant Somalia would increasingly have to assume responsibility for its own security. He added that the Somali government could not afford to remain passive about the security of its citizens.

“AMISOM is leaving us, and the UN is leaving us,” he said. “We have a responsibility towards the Somali people. Can we simply sit back without ensuring their security?

Counter-insurgency efforts

Kassim also rejected the idea that Türkiye should be singled out in discussions about Somalia’s security operations, stressing that Ankara was one of several international partners supporting the government’s counter-insurgency efforts.

“Türkiye is not the only government among the governments that are our partners in eliminating Al-Shabaab terrorists,” Kassim said. “We conduct operations together against the same target, wherever Al-Shabaab is present.”

His remarks placed Türkiye’s role within a broader counter-insurgency framework, with foreign military cooperation presented as support for Somali security institutions and operations against Al-Shabaab rather than an instrument for influencing domestic political competition.

Türkiye has previously rejected allegations that its military presence in Somalia is being used to suppress opposition figures or influence Somalia’s internal political processes.

A statement by the Directorate of Communications, Republic of Türkiye, said its military cooperation with Mogadishu was focused on strengthening Somalia’s security institutions and counter-terrorism capacity, while maintaining that Turkish military personnel were not involved in Somalia’s internal political affairs.