Turkey in Talks with Somalia for Missile and Rocket Test Site

The government of Turkey is targeting Somalia for a missile launch, Turkiye Today reports, in the latest move which suggests close cooperation between the two countries, whose camaraderie has significantly improved in recent months.

The defense and infrastructure projects, the paper notes, are being considered at the Somali Peninsula, with the potential spacecraft set to showcase Turkey's military potential globally. The country has lately invested in Somalia both military hardware and software.

Somalia‘s location on the eastern tip of mainland Africa, near the equator, makes it an ideal site for space activities, as launches near the equator enhance the range and efficiency of rockets, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic, Bloomberg notes.

The Micro-Satellite Launching System (MSLS) project commonly known as MUFS aims at launching satellites weighing less than 100 kg into the Earth orbit at a minimum altitude of 400 kilometers.

Türkiye’s ballistic missile program requires long-range testing, and Somalia’s proximity to the Indian Ocean provides an ideal testing zone without the risk of debris falling in residential areas or other nations.

Turkey has the largest overseas military training base in Somalia which was founded in 2017 and has played a significant role in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants. The GorGor troops have managed to liberate several strategic towns across Somalia.

Additionally, Turkey plans to dispatch an exploration ship in search of Somalia’s oil after an economic agreement with authorities in Mogadishu. The country has also dispatched sophisticated weapons to Somalia amid restlessness in the Horn of Africa.

Ethiopia has lately threatened Somalia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, forcing Mogadishu to seek support from Ankara and Cairo. Ethiopia is fighting for access to the Red Sea for the construction of a military base and port and has since reached Somaliland for assistance, a move which has irked Somalia.

Moreover, Somalia has been battling the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab for many years. Turkish military training for Somali soldiers has been crucial in this fight, and Turkish-made drones have significantly enhanced Somalia’s counterterrorism success.

Turkey was briefly involved in the mediation talks between Ethiopia and Somalia, but the strategy has yet to yield fruits. Ethiopia is plotting to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state in the deal which has raised ripples in the Horn of Africa.

Turkey's reported plans to use Somalia for testing ballistic missiles and launching space rockets could escalate current geopolitical tensions in the Horn of Africa.

GAROWE ONLINE