Turkey has set up its biggest overseas military base in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, increasing Ankara’s presence in the Horn of Africa country.
Officially opened on Saturday, the base, which reportedly cost $50m, will train 10,000 Somali troops and has the capacity to train at least 1,500 soldiers at a time, according to Turkish and Somali officials.
“This is the largest training base of its kind outside of Turkey,” Hulusi Akar, Turkey’s chief of General Staff, said at the ceremony.
“The government of Turkey and its army will provide all the needed support to our brothers in Somalia,” Akar said.
The base, spread over four square kilometres, has been under construction for the past two years.
“This academy is part of our commitment to rebuilding our army,” Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre said at the inauguration ceremony.
