Turkish-trained Somali troops return to Somalia after football pitch fight injures 51

Isparta Governor Abdullah Erin visits Somali soldiers after 24 troops were injured in post-soccer match brawl at the General Ihsan Alper Military Base at Suleyman Demirel University Research and Application Hospital in Isparta, Türkiye on March 18, 2025. (AA Photo)

ANKARA, Turkey - Somali soldiers have completed their military training in Türkiye and returned to Somalia following a violent incident at a training facility, according to Turkish defense officials.

“The Somali soldiers who completed their training have been sent back to their country,” the Turkish Ministry of National Defense stated when asked about the current situation at the General Ihsan Alper Barracks in Isparta province.

This development comes after a fight broke out among Somali Armed Forces personnel during a soccer match on March 17, 2025, at the 40th Commando Brigade Command. The altercation resulted in injuries to 51 Somali troops, with one soldier seriously wounded.

The completion of training and subsequent departure represents the conclusion of this particular program for Somali forces in Türkiye, though officials did not specify whether the return was scheduled or expedited due to the incident.

Turkish military personnel who intervened during the fight also sustained minor injuries, according to ministry sources.

A committee has been assigned to investigate the matter, complementing the administrative and judicial inquiries that the Isparta Governor’s Office announced on March 18.

The governor’s initial statement had reported a lower injury count of 24 Somali soldiers, noting that “except for one, their health conditions are good.”