By Mustafa Abdi Ibrahim
Mogadishu – For months, intelligence has pointed to an unprecedented national security development in Somalia: a privately owned company operating armed aircraft and conducting airstrikes across the country under private contractual arrangements.
Now, the man at the center of that investigation has been photographed alongside Somalia’s top military brass—in Pakistan, finalizing a landmark defense agreement.
Official photographs released by the Somali government show Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, the Somali Ambassador to Pakistan, Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Abdirazaq Eritrea, and Navy Commander Maj. Gen. Cabdiwahaab alongside Ahmed-Nur Sheikh Yusuf Guled—the owner of Gamtecs (also known as Gem-Tech), a private military company operating out of Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport.
The Pakistan Connection: A Strategic Defense Pact
The timing is significant. On Tuesday, Somalia and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defense, security, and military capacity development. The agreement covers counterterrorism, military training, exchange of expertise, defense capacity building, and broader security collaboration.
However, the MoU is only part of a larger picture. Somalia is reportedly in advanced negotiations with Pakistan to purchase up to 24 JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets in a deal valued at approximately $900 million—what would be Mogadishu’s largest defense investment since the collapse of the central state in 1991.
The agreement also carries geopolitical weight. Pakistan is reportedly seeking a foothold in the strategic Bab al-Mandab region amid Houthi threats, with the Somalia partnership seen as part of that effort. Both countries recently joined a Saudi Arabia-led maritime defense alliance of fourteen nations to secure navigation around Bab al-Mandab, which handles nearly 7% of global crude oil trade.
Gamtecs: A Private Air Force With Lethal Capabilities
Intelligence sources confirm that Gamtecs operates at least two Cessna Caravan aircraft (models 172RG and FR172J) equipped with ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) camera pods and missile hardpoints.
These are the same aircraft that have conducted multiple airstrikes against RRA forces aligned with President Abdiaziz Laftagareen—strikes previously attributed in local media to Turkish military assets but now confirmed by intelligence to have been executed by this private contractor.
Flight operations are reportedly handled by foreign mercenary personnel from Nigeria and South Africa.
Key incidents:
· One Gamtecs aircraft suffered a technical malfunction during an airstrike and crash-landed in Kismayo, where it was seized by the Jubaland regional administration.
· Photographic evidence shows another Gamtecs aircraft grounded at Baidoa airport after striking forces loyal to President Laftagareen.
The Helicopter Controversy: Donated Military Assets Privatized
This is not the first time Gamtecs has been at the center of controversy. Somalia reportedly received six Bell 412 helicopters between 2023 and 2024 from Italy and other partner nations to strengthen counter-terrorism capabilities.
However, sources allege that Villa Somalia—the presidential palace—registered the aircraft under Gamtecs, managed by Ahmed-Nur, described as a close associate of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
After registration, the helicopters were repainted and marked as Somali Air Force property yet continue to operate under the civilian call sign “6-Oscar”. Critics say this allows the helicopters to be rented out as private charters to military and government groups, charging between $5,000 and $8,000 per flight. If true, military aid meant for national defense is being diverted for private profit.
The Spanish Wikipedia entry for the Somali Air Force notes that an Agusta-Bell 412 helicopter (6O-AAG) is used by the Gamtecs Aviation Academy to train Somali Air Force pilots—further evidence of the deep entanglement between state military structures and this private company.
A Pattern of Private Military Entanglement
The Gamtecs case reflects a broader trend in Somalia, where private military and security companies have proliferated in the absence of strong state institutions. Concerns over the potential misappropriation of donated equipment threaten to further erode donor confidence at a time when Al-Shabaab is regaining momentum in central regions.
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) faces an uncertain future, with the United States signaling plans to suspend funding until other donors contribute matching amounts. “Somalia and its international partners are facing a serious reckoning,” said security analyst Abdisalam Guled. “The AUSSOM mandate is due to expire within weeks, and there’s little likelihood of an extension given the financial shortfalls”.
Security Threat Escalation
Intelligence indicates that Gamtecs has placed a new order for two additional missile-capable aircraft equipped with surveillance technology. The introduction of these heavily armed, privately operated platforms poses a significant risk to the safety of Somali government leaders, opposition figures, regional state administrations, and foreign embassies in Mogadishu—given the complete lack of oversight and accountability.
