The Turkish warships Somalia deployment expanded Friday, as Ankara said it is backing Somali authorities after pirates hijacked a vessel in Somali waters. Two Turkish naval ships will visit Djibouti next week as part of this growing mission. The move comes as pirates continue to hold a hijacked arms ship off Puntland’s coast. Turkish officials have not named the seized vessel or detailed their support.
The deployment highlights how deeply Turkey has embedded itself in Somalia’s security landscape. Piracy has resurfaced sharply this year off the Horn of Africa, drawing fresh international alarm. Turkey’s expanding naval footprint, however, has also triggered a diplomatic dispute with Puntland over disputed air strikes near the hijacked ship.
Turkish Warships Somalia: Djibouti Visit Confirmed
Turkish Defence Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said two vessels, the TCG Kemalreis and TCG Yzb. Gungor Durmus, will dock in Djibouti on September 3-4. The ships will support the Somali Naval Task Group and logistics missions to Somalia.
The ministry separately addressed the hijacking. It said Turkish forces in Somalia continue helping the country fight terrorism and piracy under bilateral agreements. According to the ministry, “Necessary support is being provided to the Somali authorities… regarding the incident that occurred in Somali territorial waters.”
Officials did not identify the two Djibouti-bound ships as part of any hijacking-related operation. They also declined to specify what assistance Turkey is providing.
Hijacked Arms Ship Still Held
Pirates seized the Cameroon-flagged LUTUF on August 17. The ship was about 3.5 nautical miles off Marraya, in Puntland’s Eyl district, before pirates steered it toward the Nugaal coast.
A Somali official told the Associated Press the vessel carried Turkish weapons, communications gear and satellite systems. The cargo was bound for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu. Its 10-member crew includes six Indian nationals, one Turkish citizen, one Georgian and two Serbian security guards.
Pirates have reportedly demanded roughly $2 million for the ship’s release. It remains unclear whether formal negotiations have begun. No party has confirmed agreeing to pay.
Air Strikes Spark Dispute With Puntland
The hijacking has also triggered controversy over deadly air strikes near the site where pirates are holding the ship. Puntland Deputy Security Minister Abdirahman Yusuf Dujana accused Turkey of carrying out two strikes. According to Dujana, the strikes killed at least 13 people.
Dujana also accused Somalia’s federal government of involvement. However, he did not provide independently verifiable evidence linking either government to the attacks.
No government or military force has publicly claimed responsibility. Turkey’s Defence Ministry did not directly address the accusations in its Thursday statement. Meanwhile, Somalia’s State Minister for Defence, Omar Ali Abdi, said on August 22 that the federal government was aware of military operations off Puntland and was preparing a report. Puntland has since called for a formal investigation into the strikes.
Turkish Warships Somalia: A Widening Naval Role
Turkey has steadily built up its military and maritime presence in Somalia. As a result, Ankara now operates under several defence agreements signed with Mogadishu. Turkey’s parliament extended its troop deployment in Somalia last month by two more years, keeping the mandate in force until July 2028.
That authorization lets Turkish forces operate in areas agreed with Somalia, including its maritime zones. It also backs efforts against terrorism, piracy, illegal fishing and smuggling. The role rests further on a 10-year defence and economic pact signed in 2024, under which Turkey agreed to help build and train Somalia’s navy.
Turkish naval forces are already active off Somalia’s coast. In July, three Turkish warships escorted the drilling ship Cagri Bey and three support vessels. Turkey also runs a major military training base in Mogadishu and has trained Somali security forces for more than a decade.
Piracy Resurgence Raises Alarm
Turkey’s expanded naval activity comes as piracy resurfaces off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. The International Maritime Organisation said on August 24 that pirates and armed robbers are holding six vessels and more than 90 seafarers in the region.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called for the immediate release of those held. “We cannot allow the resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters to go unaddressed,” he said.
The International Maritime Bureau recorded 38 piracy and armed robbery incidents worldwide in the first half of 2026. Somali pirates accounted for 94 percent of all crew members taken hostage during that period.
