By Goth Mohamed Goth
BAIDOA, Somalia – July 6, 2026 – Loud explosions and the roar of low-flying warplanes rattled the southwestern Somali city of Baidoa on Monday morning, as Turkish F-16 fighter jets conducted airstrikes on the city’s outskirts, according to multiple local witnesses and security sources.
Residents reported hearing heavy blasts and sustained heavy-weapons fire in the areas surrounding the city. The airstrikes occurred just hours before the inauguration ceremony for Southwest State President Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur (Madoobe), which was attended by a high-level delegation from the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), including President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
While Somali officials have not officially commented on the military operation, local analysts view the deployment of Turkish combat aircraft as a direct security measure to protect federal leaders from potential attacks by opposition-aligned forces, particularly those loyal to ousted Southwest President Abdiaziz Laftagareen.
Turkey’s Expanding Military Role
The use of F-16s over Baidoa marks a significant escalation in Turkey’s direct military involvement in Somalia. Ankara already operates its largest overseas military training base in Mogadishu and has regularly deployed drones and fighter jets to support FGS offensives. However, conducting airstrikes to secure a domestic political ceremony signals a shift from counterterrorism operations to internal power-brokering.
Turkey’s support for President Mohamud is well-documented. Critics charge that Ankara is providing unconditional military backing to keep Mohamud in power, despite his constitutional term having officially expired in May 2026. The president has cited controversial constitutional amendments to justify remaining in office until May 2027—a move the opposition rejects as an unlawful extension.
The Natural Resources Factor
Somalia’s federal government has granted Turkey extensive exploration rights over the country’s offshore hydrocarbon reserves. In 2024, Ankara’s state-owned TPAO secured rights to three large exploration blocks, and in 2026, Turkey began historic offshore drilling in Somali waters. When questioned about ceding such rights, President Mohamud famously remarked: “Who else do we have besides Turkey? Who else wants us, supports us?”
This quid-pro-quo arrangement—security for resources—has deepened Turkish leverage over Mogadishu’s political calculus.
Risks of Deepening Turkish Interference
As Turkish jets patrol Somali skies, regional observers warn of several grave risks:
· Erosion of Sovereignty: Critics argue that Turkey is constructing a “parallel state” in Somalia, operating foreign-run military assets without clear parliamentary oversight, effectively reducing Somalia to a client state.
· Exacerbated Political Crisis: Ankara’s open backing of Mohamud’s contested term extension has alienated opposition figures and regional states, deepening the rift between Mogadishu and federal member states. The violent clashes already seen in Mogadishu and Baidoa could spiral into broader inter-clan and inter-regional conflict.
· Proxy Conflict Arena: With Turkey formally designating Somalia’s territorial integrity as a national security interest, Somali soil risks becoming a theater for external rivalries, particularly with Gulf states and other regional actors who view Ankara’s expansion with suspicion.
· Weaponization of Aid: Development projects—hospitals, roads, and military training—are increasingly viewed by skeptics as tools for strategic control rather than genuine partnership, undermining long-term trust between Somali citizens and their government.
Conclusion
Monday’s airstrikes in Baidoa lay bare a troubling reality: foreign military power is now being used to settle domestic political disputes in Somalia. As President Mohamud extends his stay in office with Turkish F-16s overhead, the international community faces a stark choice—remain silent as Somali sovereignty is hollowed out, or demand a return to constitutional order and genuine national reconciliation before the country slides further into crisis.
