Doolow, Gedo Region (WDN) — An airstrike on a residential compound in Doolow, Gedo region, has triggered fresh concerns over the escalating use of military force in Somalia’s political disputes, after reports emerged that senior figure Mahad Abdirahman, widely known as Taliye Shub linked to former President of South west State Abdiaziz Laftagareen, was wounded in the attack.

Local sources said Gen. Mahad was rushed to hospital after a strike hit a house where he was staying in Doolow. The compound was reportedly heavily damaged by the impact. The reports said Gen. Mahad sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening, apparently from fragments caused by the projectile that struck the building.

A woman described as an Ethiopian national who worked at the residence was reportedly killed, while at least three other people were said to have been wounded. The circumstances surrounding the strike—including who carried it out, what weapon was used and whether Gen. Mahad was deliberately targeted—remain unclear and require independent verification.

A Strike That Raises Bigger Questions

The incident comes amid an increasingly militarized political confrontation in Somalia, raising concerns about whether military assets supplied or supported by foreign partners are being drawn into domestic political struggles.

Somalia has received substantial military assistance from Turkey, including armed drones and other military equipment. Critics of the Federal Government have increasingly questioned whether such capabilities could be used against political opponents rather than being restricted to legitimate national-security operations. Those allegations are serious and should be independently investigated.

There is currently insufficient publicly verified evidence to establish that Turkish-supplied drones carried out the Doolow strike or that Turkish aircraft were directly involved. Any such conclusion would require confirmation from credible military, governmental or independent sources.

Claims of Turkish Military Pressure

The Doolow incident has also revived broader allegations concerning Turkey’s growing military role in Somalia. Critics of President Hassan Sheikh’s government argue that Turkey has become increasingly aligned with Villa Somalia and that Turkish military support is being perceived as support for the Federal Government in its political confrontations with opposition forces and Federal Member States.

Critics have alleged that Turkish-supplied drones have been used against individuals and forces viewed as opponents of the Federal Government. These claims have not been independently established and should not be treated as confirmed without evidence. The same controversy has surrounded reports of Turkish F-16 aircraft flying over Baidoa during the latest fighting. Witness accounts and political critics described the flights as intimidating to civilians, but the purpose and operational role of the aircraft would need independent confirmation.

Similar claims have emerged from Mogadishu, where critics say Turkish military aircraft were visible during heightened tensions surrounding protests and resistance to government-backed land demolitions. The alleged air activity comes at a particularly sensitive moment. Fighting in Baidoa has deepened fears among civilians caught between rival political and security forces. Reports that military aircraft were operating over the city have added to public anxiety in an environment already marked by political confrontation and armed mobilization.

In Mogadishu, meanwhile, controversy surrounding land demolitions and allegations of forced displacement has generated growing public resentment toward the Federal Government. Critics argue that the deployment of sophisticated foreign-supplied military capabilities during domestic political disputes risks transforming political disagreements into security confrontations. That would carry profound consequences for Somalia.

Is Foreign Military Assistance Being Politicized?

The central issue is not whether Somalia should receive military assistance. The country faces a serious security threat from Al-Shabaab and has legitimate reasons to strengthen its armed forces. The question is how that military assistance is used. Weapons supplied to strengthen Somalia’s national security should not become instruments in political disputes, factional struggles or campaigns against peaceful opposition. If allegations emerge that foreign-supplied weapons have been used against political opponents, civilians or Federal Member States for political purposes, those allegations deserve transparent investigation.

The Somali government should therefore explain the operational and legal framework governing the use of armed drones and other foreign-supplied military equipment. Gen. Mahad’s family disputes reports of serious injury. Amid conflicting accounts of the Doolow strike, Gen. Mahad’s son, Abdi Fatah, publicly addressed the incident. He said his father was safe and had not suffered serious harm in the bombardment, contradicting some reports suggesting more severe injuries.

The conflicting accounts underline the need for independent reporting and verification rather than reliance on competing political narratives. The reported death of the woman at the residence and injuries to others also require clarification, including their identities and circumstances. The incident is likely to increase pressure on both the Jubaland administration and the Federal Government to provide a clear account of what happened. Jubaland should explain whether Gen. Mahad was present at the residence and whether its forces or officials had prior knowledge of any planned military operation.

The Federal Government, if its forces were responsible, should publicly explain the legal basis, operational objective and intelligence justification for the strike. If the government was not responsible, it should say so clearly and assist in establishing who conducted the attack. Silence will only fuel speculation.

Turkey’s Somalia Role Under Growing Scrutiny

Turkey has emerged as one of Somalia’s most important military partners, providing training, equipment and broader security assistance. That relationship has been welcomed by many Somalis because of Turkey’s role in strengthening national security institutions.

But military partnerships can become politically controversial when the partner government is itself locked in a domestic political confrontation. Turkey risks damaging the perception of its role in Somalia if its military cooperation becomes indistinguishable, in the eyes of the public, from support for the political interests of Villa Somalia.

For many Somalis, the distinction is becoming increasingly important: a foreign partner should help strengthen Somalia as a state, not become identified with one political faction within Somalia.  Somalia’s political crisis cannot be solved through air power. Whether the weapon involved in Doolow was Turkish-supplied, domestically operated or supplied through another channel, the principle remains the same: military force must not become a substitute for political dialogue and due process.

If opposition figures believe they can be targeted from the air because they challenge those in power, political competition becomes dangerously militarized. If civilians believe foreign aircraft can appear over their cities whenever political tensions rise, public trust in both the government and its international partners will inevitably suffer.

And if foreign military assistance becomes associated with domestic political repression, it could undermine the very security partnership it was intended to strengthen. The Doolow strike should therefore be independently investigated.

Somali authorities should establish:

• Who ordered and carried out the strike;
• What aircraft or weapon system was used;
• Whether Gen. Mahad was the intended target;
• The identities and circumstances of those killed and wounded;
• Whether Turkish-supplied military equipment was involved;
• The legal and operational justification for the attack; and
• Whether civilians were placed at unacceptable risk.

Until those questions are answered, competing political narratives will continue to dominate the public debate. The broader warning, however, is already clear. Somalia cannot build a stable political system if military power is increasingly perceived as an instrument for settling political disputes.

Foreign partners—including Turkey—have an important role to play in helping Somalia strengthen its security institutions. But that partnership will remain sustainable only if Somali citizens believe that foreign-supplied military capabilities are being used to protect the Somali people and defend the country—not to intimidate civilians or eliminate political opponents.

The Doolow strike has therefore become more than a single military incident. It is a test of transparency, accountability and the limits of military power in Somalia’s increasingly bitter political struggle.

WardheerNews