Turkish naval vessels are continuing to escort a drilling fleet operating off the coast of Somalia, as Ankara expands its security role alongside offshore energy exploration in the Horn of Africa.
Türkiye’s National Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that the frigates TCG Goksu, TCG Gelibolu and TCG Bartin, deployed as part of the Somalia Naval Task Group, are providing protection for the Cagri Bey drilling ship.
The vessels are also escorting the support ships Korkut, Altan and Sancar, the ministry said in a statement published on its social media platform, NSosyal. It added that the escort mission remains ongoing.
The naval deployment coincides with continued offshore drilling by Somalia and Türkiye’s state-owned energy company, Turkish Petroleum (TPAO), at the Curad-1 oil well.
Somali authorities have said the first exploration results from the project are expected by the end of 2026. Located around 372 kilometres north-east of the capital, Mogadishu, Curad-1 is the first offshore oil well to be officially drilled in Somalia.
Drilling at the site began after a series of three-dimensional seismic surveys were carried out across three offshore blocks.
The well is expected to reach a depth of nearly 7,500 metres and could take up to 288 days to complete, making it one of the deepest offshore oil wells currently under development.
The operation comes days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked parliament to approve a two-year extension of the deployment of Turkish troops in Somalia, following a request from the Somali government for continued military support.
The proposal, submitted to Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly on Friday, would extend the current mandate beyond its scheduled expiry on 27 July 2026 under existing bilateral defence cooperation agreements.
According to the presidential motion, Somalia’s security and stability are considered important to the wider region. It said extending the deployment would enable Turkish forces to continue supporting efforts to counter terrorism and other security threats.
Türkiye and Somalia have signed a series of agreements covering military training, technical cooperation, defence industry collaboration and financial assistance. Under those arrangements, Ankara has provided training, advisory support and other assistance aimed at strengthening Somalia’s defence and security institutions.
The proposal also said that while Somalia’s security forces have sufficient personnel and resources, economic constraints continue to affect their operational effectiveness.
