The Ground Forces Commander Brigadier General Sahal Abdullahi Omar Khaalid and Türkiye’s Land Forces Commander General Metin Tokel on Saturday attended a ceremony in Manisa marking the completion of military training for a new batch of Somalia’s elite Gorgor “Eagle” commando forces.
The graduation comes as Mogadishu seeks to bolster the capability and professionalism of its armed forces amid preparations for intensified military operations against Al-Shabaab and other armed groups. The training forms part of Somalia’s expanding defence partnership with Türkiye, which has emerged as a key security partner for the Somali government.
The Somali commandos have spent a period undergoing specialised military instruction in Türkiye, with the programme focusing on combat skills, military discipline, unit cohesion and operational readiness.
The Gorgor forces are among Somalia’s most specialised combat units and have played a prominent role in government-led military operations against Al-Shabaab. Their training and deployment are central to Mogadishu’s broader efforts to develop a more capable national security architecture.
Somali and Turkish officials at the ceremony underlined the importance of developing a disciplined and professionally trained national army capable of independently carrying out its constitutional mandate to safeguard the country and its population.
The latest graduation comes at a critical juncture for Somalia’s security transition. The federal government has been seeking to expand the capacity of its forces as it assumes greater responsibility for national security and sustains military pressure on Al-Shabaab, the militant group that has waged an insurgency for more than a decade.
Türkiye has played a significant role in that effort. Ankara operates the TURKSOM military training facility in Mogadishu, established in 2017, where thousands of Somali soldiers have received military training.
The bilateral defence relationship has since expanded beyond basic military instruction to include specialised training and broader security cooperation. Training programmes in Türkiye have also provided Somali personnel with exposure to advanced military practices, leadership and specialised operations.
Officials said the continued training reflects the two countries’ commitment to strengthening Somalia’s national defence institutions and developing forces capable of assuming greater responsibility for the country’s security.
For Mogadishu, the graduation represents another investment in the long-term transformation of the Somali National Army from a force heavily dependent on external security assistance into a more cohesive and operationally capable national institution.
