Turkey to use Somalia spaceport for hypersonic missile tests

PARIS – Turkey plans to use its planned space launch facility in Somalia to test domestically developed hypersonic missiles capable of striking targets up to 2,000 kilometres away, French newspaper Le Monde reported.

According to the report, Ankara sees Somalia's Indian Ocean coastline as an ideal location for missile and space launch activities, expanding the strategic role of the facility beyond its publicly announced purpose as a satellite launch centre.

The newspaper said the spaceport, initially presented as a civilian project for launching satellites, would also serve as a testing ground for long-range missile systems, including hypersonic weapons under development by Turkey.

The report added that Israel views the project as a potential threat to its national security and is closely monitoring developments, amid growing regional concerns over Turkey's expanding military footprint in the Horn of Africa.

Le Monde also said that Somaliland, which it described as receiving military support from Israel, lies within the operational range of missiles that could be tested from the planned facility in Somalia.

Neither the Turkish nor the Somali governments have publicly confirmed that the spaceport will be used for missile testing, and Israel has not officially commented on the specific claims reported by Le Monde.

GAROWE ONLINE