As Europe prepares for the war in Ukraine (-> current news from the Ukraine war) and the escalation in Israel and Gaza, Islamist terrorism – particularly in Africa – remains active. One striking example is Somalia, where the fight against the Al Shabaab militia, which is linked to Al Qaeda, continues unabated. But it is not only regional players that are involved – external powers are also getting in on the act.
Turkey is currently significantly expanding its security policy influence in East Africa. A current sign of this is the delivery of an unspecified number of combat helicopters to the Somali government. With the Turkish T-129 Atak, Mogadishu is taking a further step towards modernizing and strengthening its armed forces.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is pursuing the goal of expanding counter-insurgency capabilities in a targeted manner – as a direct response to the ongoing security threats in the country. To date, the Somali military’s air capabilities have been limited to two Bell-412 helicopters. These were expanded in 2024 through Italian support with four additional Bell 412s (including a 412SP) and four Bell 205s.
Powerful reinforcement from Turkey
The T-129 Atak is a two-seat combat helicopter designed for close air support, reconnaissance missions and precise strikes against ground targets. It is based on the Italian A129 Mangusta, but has been extensively further developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Changes to the avionics, fuselage structure and rotor system improve maneuverability and operational capability in extreme climatic and geographical conditions.
The Atak is fully operational day and night. The standard armament includes a three-barrel 20-millimeter gun with 500 rounds of ammunition. In addition, up to 1.2 tons of weapon load can be carried at four external load stations – including UMTAS anti-tank missiles with guidance via infrared or laser as well as laser-guided 70-millimetre Cirit missiles, which are conceptually similar to the US APKWS system.
In view of the operational profile in Somalia, it can be assumed that Cirit missiles are more likely to be used. These are highly effective against light to medium targets – especially against improvised combat vehicles on civilian chassis, such as those typically used in so-called “Toyota Wars”. The T-129 is proving to be an extremely effective tool for such asymmetric threat scenarios.
Anti-terror operations in southern Somalia
The Somali civil war, which has been going on since 1988, is best known in the West for the film “Black Hawk Down”, which is based on real events. The longest active and best organized terrorist organization in Somalia is Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen – Al-Shabaab for short. The Islamist militia, which has been operating since 2006, is based on both local roots (such as the predecessor organization al-Ittihad al-Islami) and international jihadist networks, in particular Al-Qaeda.
Although Al-Shabaab mainly operates in Somalia, its influence extends along the Swahili coast to Kenya and Tanzania. Kenya in particular became active after several serious attacks in Nairobi and participated militarily in the fight against the group on Somali soil for years as part of the “AMISOM mission”.
In 2012, a federal state system was introduced under a new constitution. The previously numerous de facto regimes formed the Federal Republic of Somalia, with the member states retaining extensive autonomy. This federal state still formally exists today, even though the northern state of Puntland declared itself a functionally independent state in April 2024. The central government continues to exercise no control over Somaliland, which is located in the north-west and is seeking international recognition as a sovereign state.
Large parts of the south are still ruled or dominated by Al-Shabaab. The group is pursuing the goal of establishing a fundamentalist Islamic state according to its interpretation.
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Counter-offensive 2024 and Turkish support
In October and November 2024, the Somali armed forces intensified their military operations against Al-Shabaab under the renewed leadership of Major General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh. More than 30 fighters were killed in targeted operations, including around ten high-ranking leaders. Particularly successful offensives took place in the regions of Lower Juba, Middle Shabelle and Lower Shabelle – despite significant losses of around 150 Somali soldiers.
Ankara is actively supporting the Somali government in these efforts. Turkey has now set up its own military base in Mogadishu and is supplying state-of-the-art equipment, including the Bayraktar Akinci twin-engine turboprop drone and T-129 Atak combat helicopters. At the same time, Turkey is pursuing its own strategic interests, in particular the exploration of potential oil and gas deposits off the Somali coast.
