The Commander of the Ground Forces of the Somali National Army (SNA), General Abdullahi Omar, held a productive meeting with his Turkish counterpart, General Metin Tokel, on Saturday. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further consolidate military cooperation and collaborative work between the two countries. In a statement posted on his Facebook account, General Sahal stated that the high-level meeting focused on strengthening military cooperation and consolidating collaborative work between the two armies. He also mentioned that he and his Turkish counterpart agreed to expedite training programs, enhance the quality of soldiers, and upgrade defense capabilities. Finally, he expressed deep gratitude to Turkey for their consistent support in developing the Somali National Army (SNA). The military cooperation between Somalia and Turkey has strengthened over the past years. Turkish military units have established bases in the Warsheikh district of Middle Shabelle region, specifically in an area between El-Bashaqle and Qorilow settlements. These units were deployed in February of this year and have participated in joint operations with their Somali counterparts, successfully removing Al-Shabab militants from the Jabad-Godane settlement, which is located near Qorilow. The joint operation aimed to thwart the threat posed by Al-Shabab in areas under the jurisdiction of Warsheikh district, which is located on the coastal route connecting Mogadishu and Middle Shabelle region, leading to Central Somalia.
