Türkiye has deployed a naval task force to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to provide logistical support and help secure upcoming offshore energy operations, as Ankara prepares to launch its first overseas deepwater drilling mission.
The Defence Ministry confirmed that the task group — TCG Sancaktar, TCG Gökova and TCG Bafra — will operate between January 30 and February 25 in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia and in the Arabian Sea. The deployment will support the Turkish-Somali Task Force Command, assist in transporting military assistance by sea and back the research and drilling activity of the Çağrı Bey vessel in Somali maritime jurisdictions.
Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the Çağrı Bey will arrive in Somali waters in February for the country’s first deepwater exploration project abroad. The operation will focus on offshore areas following a 2024 energy exploration agreement between Ankara and Mogadishu. The planned well will involve drilling in waters around 3,480 meters deep and extend several kilometers further below the seabed.
This naval deployment builds on a 10-year “Defence and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement” signed in February 2024, which envisions Turkish support for maritime security and capacity-building in Somalia.
Earlier, Türkiye’s Oruç Reis seismic vessel completed a 3D survey across three offshore blocks covering 4,464 square kilometers, providing data Ankara says will guide future exploration.
The deepening partnership comes amid heightened regional tensions after Israel recognized Somaliland on December 26, 2025, a move Türkiye condemned. Somaliland is a self-declared state that broke away from Somalia in 1991 and has long sought international recognition.
Separately, Somali officials reported that three Turkish F-16s landed in Mogadishu on January 28, supporting Somali operations against the al-Shabab militant group, though Ankara has not publicly confirmed the deployment.
Türkiye’s expanding presence in Somali waters reflects a strategic blend of energy ambitions and maritime security commitments, underscoring Ankara’s growing influence in the Horn of Africa region.
