Turkey, Egypt, Serbia Rush Heavy Weapons to Somalia

Turkey, Egypt, and Serbia have delivered heavy weapons and military equipment to Somalia, bolstering the Somali Armed Forces as the country faces mounting security demands and diplomatic pressure.

Somali military officials confirmed the transfers to the Turkish Defence Agency. The report said Turkey’s support includes infantry weapons, armored vehicles, ammunition, command-control systems, and night-vision equipment.

The agency added that the deliveries coincided with the deployment of the Gorgor (Eagle) Commando Brigades, units trained by Turkey at the TÜRKSOM military facility in Mogadishu. This situation demonstrates that Ankara has activated its capacity in Somalia not only for training but also for directly generating and deploying combat power, the agency said.

Somali officials also confirmed weapons support from Egypt and Serbia, though no details were released on the types or quantities supplied by either country.

The arms deliveries come amid strong diplomatic backing for Somalia’s territorial integrity. Saudi Arabia, along with Arab, Islamic, and African countries, issued a joint statement condemning a recent visit by an Israeli official to the Somaliland region.

“The visit constitutes a clear violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, undermines international law and the United Nations Charter, and risks exacerbating tensions in an already fragile region,” the statement said, according to the Saudi Gazette.

The ministers rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, stressing that the region is “an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” and warned that encouraging secessionist agendas is destabilizing. The statement, endorsed by more than 20 countries including Egypt and Turkey as well as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, called on Israel to revoke its recognition of Somaliland and respect international law, while backing Somalia’s diplomatic and legal efforts to protect its sovereignty.