Somali Police Force Commander Major General Asad Osman Abdullahi met with a senior Turkish delegation in Mogadishu on Tuesday to sign a new security cooperation framework to bolster counterterrorism and police training efforts.

The agreement comes as Somali security forces prepare to take full responsibility for national safety from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) by December 2024. Turkey, which already operates its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu, is deepening its footprint as Western donors scale back troops.

The Turkish delegation was led by Major General Hacı Ali Büber, Head of the Turkish Gendarmerie’s Counterterrorism Department. Discussions focused on intelligence sharing, bomb disposal techniques, and specialised police units to counter Al-Shabaab militants.

The meeting follows Turkey’s February 2024 defence deal with Somalia’s federal government, which includes naval cooperation and potential offshore energy exploration. Observers note that Turkey is now Somalia’s largest bilateral security partner outside Africa.

No immediate date was set for the next round of talks, but police sources told local media that joint training workshops in Mogadishu will begin by late June.