Turkey Deploys Main Battle Tanks to Somalia to Guard Strategic Aerospace Sites

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Turkish military shipment carrying M48 and M60 Patton main battle tanks arrived at the Mogadishu port this week, marking a significant escalation in Ankara’s military footprint in the Horn of Africa.

Footage obtained by Garowe Online and verified by witnesses showed the heavily armored vehicles being offloaded and moving through the capital in a heavily guarded convoy. The deployment comes as Turkey moves to secure high-stakes aerospace and satellite infrastructure currently under development in Somalia.

Sources familiar with the matter say the tanks are being stationed to protect Turkish facilities in the Warshiikh area, located approximately 60 kilometers north of Mogadishu. The site is reportedly being developed for missile and satellite launch capabilities, leveraging Somalia’s strategic proximity to the equator—a prime location for aerospace ballistics.

The surge in heavy armor follows a series of recent militant attacks targeting Turkish personnel and infrastructure. While Turkey has long maintained its largest overseas military training base, TURKSOM, in Mogadishu, the introduction of main battle tanks suggests a shift toward a more robust, independent defensive posture for its strategic assets.

“The security of the Warshiikh installations is a top priority for Ankara,” said a regional security analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity. “With the aerospace project moving into a sensitive phase involving satellite and missile infrastructure, these tanks provide a necessary deterrent against asymmetric threats in the Shabelle region.”

The deployment also coincides with Turkey’s recent deployment of F-16 fighter jets to the region, signaling a broader commitment to defending its multi-billion-dollar investments in the Somali energy and technology sectors.

Neither the Somali Ministry of Defense nor the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu has issued an official statement regarding the specific number of tanks or the duration of their deployment.

GAROWE ONLINE