From aid to F-16s: Turkey’s hard-power turn in Somalia

From aid to F-16s: Turkey’s hard-power turn in Somalia

Turkey’s late-January deployment of F-16 fighter jets to Somalia marked the most visible escalation yet in Ankara’s long-running engagement in the Horn of Africa. While Turkish officials have framed the move as support for Somalia’s fight against Al-Shabab, the decision to forward-deploy manned combat aircraft, alongside helicopters, naval assets and expanded ground involvement, signals a deeper shift in Ankara’s role in the region. Rather than …