MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkey has begun developing a military aviation facility inside Baidoa Airport capable of supporting advanced fighter aircraft, including F-16 jets, as Ankara moves to establish a deeper and more permanent presence in Somalia beyond its existing base in Mogadishu, according to people familiar with the project.
The construction marks a major expansion of Turkey’s security role in Somalia, combining military infrastructure, commercial investment and strategic positioning at a time when the country is undergoing a major transition in its security arrangements and facing uncertainty over future international support.
Multiple sources familiar with the development told Baaritaan that construction teams are already working on the expansion of Baidoa Airport, including improvements to the runway, preparation of aircraft operating areas and the construction of facilities designed to protect and maintain military aircraft.
The project is expected to include reinforced aircraft shelters, maintenance hangars and a secured military zone inside the airport complex, according to the sources.
Why Turkey is moving away from Mogadishu
The decision to develop Baidoa follows a Turkish assessment that Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu is becoming increasingly unsuitable for long-term fighter aircraft operations, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
Aden Adde serves as Somalia’s main civilian airport and hosts diplomatic, military and commercial flights, making it one of the busiest aviation facilities in the country.
Sources said Turkish planners raised concerns that the airport’s crowded environment creates operational limitations and increases vulnerability. They said any serious disruption to Aden Adde — including an attack affecting runways or critical infrastructure — could quickly affect both civilian aviation and military activities.
Baidoa, by contrast, offers Turkey a more controlled operating environment with greater space for expansion and security arrangements.
“This is about creating a dedicated military aviation location rather than relying on a shared airport environment,” one person familiar with the project told Baaritaan.
Millions of dollars in construction contracts
The first phase of the project is valued at more than $5 million, according to sources familiar with the financing.
The contract has been awarded to Docol, a construction company operating in Mogadishu, the sources said. They added that the company is responsible for expanding airport infrastructure and preparing facilities required for Turkish military aviation operations.
Sources described the owner of Docol as a businessman with close links to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration.
The relationship between political figures, local contractors and strategic infrastructure projects has attracted attention in Somalia, where major foreign-backed developments often involve a combination of government institutions and private companies.
Military base and commercial interests
Sources familiar with the project said the development also includes commercial facilities connected to the military compound.
One source told Baaritaan that a hotel planned within the secured area of the facility is linked to Somalia’s Minister of Ports and Marine Transport, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama.
“The military and commercial sides are developing together,” the source said. “It shows how security projects and business interests are becoming increasingly connected.”
The minister has not publicly commented on the claim.
Turkey’s expanding Somalia strategy
The Baidoa project represents the latest stage of Turkey’s expanding influence in Somalia.
Ankara already operates Camp TURKSOM in Mogadishu, Turkey’s largest overseas military training facility, where Somali troops are trained as part of a long-term defence partnership.
But Turkey’s interests in Somalia have expanded beyond military cooperation. Ankara has invested in infrastructure, energy exploration, maritime security and trade agreements, making Somalia one of the central pillars of Turkey’s Africa strategy.
The development comes as Turkey prepares to participate in Somalia’s offshore energy sector after signing agreements with Mogadishu covering exploration activities.
South West State becomes strategically important
The decision to establish a military presence in Baidoa comes as Turkey deepens its engagement with South West State, one of Somalia’s most strategically important regions.
Sources familiar with regional affairs said Ankara has increased its political and security engagement in Baidoa following recent political changes in the administration of South West State.
The region is considered strategically valuable because of its location, agricultural production, security importance and proximity to areas believed to hold significant natural resources.
Lower Shabelle, part of South West State, is viewed by energy officials as one of Somalia’s promising areas for future hydrocarbon development.
Security analysts say protecting future energy investments and infrastructure could become a major factor behind international military deployments in Somalia.
A new front in Horn of Africa competition
Turkey’s move comes as competition between regional and global powers increases across the Horn of Africa.
Ankara has sought to position itself as Somalia’s closest strategic partner, while other countries have expanded their own influence in the region.
The United Arab Emirates and Israel has developed military and commercial interests in Somaliland, including its role in Berbera, while other international actors continue to compete for influence along one of the world’s most important maritime corridors.
The location of Somalia along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping routes has made the country increasingly important in global security calculations.
Beyond military aviation
Sources also said Turkey is continuing work related to a planned spaceport project in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region, another element of Ankara’s effort to establish long-term strategic infrastructure in the country.
Together, the Baidoa aviation facility, the Mogadishu military base and planned space infrastructure would give Turkey a network of strategic assets across Somalia.
The Somali federal government and Turkish authorities have not publicly announced the Baidoa military aviation project.
Officials in Mogadishu have previously described Turkey’s presence in Somalia as part of a partnership aimed at strengthening national security, economic development and state capacity. For Ankara, however, the expansion reflects a broader ambition: transforming Somalia from a security partnership into a long-term strategic foothold in one of the world’s most contested regions.
