The first Turkish military base in Africa, built in Somalia, will soon operate under a deal to enhance defense cooperation with this African country.
Turkey and Somalia inked a defense cooperation agreement on Jan. 25 in 2015 in the framework of Turkey's pledge to build up a national army for the Somalian state. The deal has been subsequently approved by the United Nations.
The base, African Horn, will open in Mogadishu for Somalian troops to have training and to handle weapons in order to drive al-Qaeda linked al-Shabaab from their homes.
More than 10,000 Somalian troops and soldiers from other African countries will be trained by Turkish military experts in the base. The new base will house 200 military experts. Turkey will also deploy enforcement to ensure security of the military camp.
The construction of the military base in Africa means a crucial step that marks a bold new phase in Turkey's evolution as a global power.
The strategically important Somalia, seen as a gateway to the Red Sea, borders the Gulf of Aden to the north and the Indian Ocean to the east. Populated with more than 10 million people, the country, which has the longest coastline on Africa's mainland, serves as a transit point onto Arabian Peninsula through Yemen.
The military base is seen as output of increasing security threats which caused concerns in both Mogadishu and Ankara. Somalian authorities have faced serious challenges from the Al-Qaeda-aligned Al-Shabab terrorists. Shabab has also posed a security threat for the Turkish mission in Somalia.
A car-bomb strike, hatched by al-Shahbab in July 2013, targeted a residential office housing Turkish embassy staff in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, leaving three security officials injured.
Turkey has also built another military base abroad in Qatar. The military base in Qatar is expected to be operational in two years. When the Turkish base in Qatar opens, it will also be the first Turkish military base in the Middle East.
It is expected to house more than 3,000 people, including ground troops, special operations forces and military trainers. Turkey and its most trusted regional ally, Qatar, have supported opposition groups fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Diplomatic sources say Turkey's move to open military bases overseas represents a historic step marking its evolution as one of the key players in the defense industry.
Ankara seeks new markets -- in the Middle East and Africa in particular -- so as to offer small and medium-sized weapons, manufactured by Turkish engineers. It's ambition to become a world power have driven Turkish authorities to open military bases in Qatar and Somalia, the two strategically-important allies for Ankara.
