Mogadishu (WDN) — Turkey’s decision to deploy two warships to waters off the Horn of Africa has triggered a new debate in Somalia over the real purpose of Ankara’s expanding maritime role—and whether the operation will protect Somalia’s territorial waters or deepen concerns over foreign access to its marine resources.

The Turkish Navy is sending the TCG Kemalreis and TCG Yzb. Güngör Durmuş to the region, with the vessels expected to operate from or around Djibouti while supporting Somalia’s federal maritime forces, counter-piracy operations and the protection of maritime supply routes linking the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

Turkey says the deployment is aimed at strengthening cooperation with the Somali federal government and helping combat piracy and terrorism. The move follows renewed concerns over Somali piracy, including the hijacking of the MV Lutuf, a vessel reportedly carrying equipment from Turkey to a Turkish military facility in Mogadishu.

But in Somalia, the deployment is being viewed through a far more suspicious lens. Critics, including members of the political opposition, question whether Turkey’s expanding military presence is genuinely designed to protect Somalia’s maritime security or whether Ankara is positioning itself to gain greater access to Somalia’s strategically valuable waters and marine resources.

Those concerns have intensified following allegations that Turkish-linked operations could expose local fishing communities to military action. There are also fears among critics that foreign naval operations could contribute to the depletion or exploitation of Somalia’s fisheries while providing limited protection—or even creating additional risks—for Somali fishermen.

No independent evidence presented publicly has established that Turkey is deliberately targeting Somali fishermen or seeking to deplete Somalia’s marine resources. Nevertheless, the allegations highlight a broader problem: Somalia lacks the institutional capacity to independently monitor and regulate the activities of foreign military and commercial actors operating in or around its waters. That weakness is precisely what makes the Turkish deployment politically sensitive.

Who controls Somalia’s waters?

Somalia possesses one of Africa’s longest coastlines and potentially significant fisheries resources, yet its maritime institutions remain underdeveloped after decades of state collapse.

The result is a troubling contradiction. Foreign naval forces increasingly operate around Somali waters in the name of security, while Somali fishermen continue to demand stronger protection from illegal fishing and greater control over the country’s marine resources. The question is therefore not simply whether Turkey is helping Somalia fight piracy.

It is whether Somalia has the capacity to ensure that every foreign security operation conducted in its maritime domain serves Somali national interests.

The Puntland warning

Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has already warned that foreign military deployments around Somalia’s waters could ultimately be used as a pretext for accessing and exploiting the country’s natural resources.

That warning comes amid a deep political confrontation between Puntland and the federal government in Mogadishu. Puntland and other political actors are increasingly skeptical of security agreements negotiated by the federal government, particularly when regional administrations believe they have been excluded from decisions concerning their territorial waters and natural resources.

The Turkish deployment therefore risks becoming entangled in Somalia’s wider constitutional and federal dispute. If Mogadishu presents Turkey as a strategic security partner while Puntland or other coastal communities view the deployment as an infringement on their interests, the result could be greater political fragmentation rather than stronger national maritime security.

The hijacking of the MV Lutuf has added another layer of uncertainty. Turkish officials have linked their maritime engagement to counter-piracy efforts, while reports indicate that the vessel was carrying Turkish-supplied military and communications equipment destined for Mogadishu.

Yet the incident also illustrates how Somalia’s maritime insecurity can quickly become internationalized. A piracy incident involving a vessel allegedly carrying Turkish equipment has now been followed by the deployment of Turkish warships into one of the world’s most strategically sensitive maritime corridors.

That sequence inevitably raises questions about whether Somalia is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign powers to police its own coastline.

Turkey has invested heavily in Somalia’s security sector and maintains a significant military relationship with Mogadishu. Ankara operates a major military training facility in Somalia and has cultivated close political ties with the federal government.

Supporters argue that Turkish assistance is essential to rebuilding Somalia’s military and maritime capabilities. Critics, however, fear that the relationship has become too closely aligned with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration and that Turkish security cooperation may serve Ankara’s strategic interests as much as Somalia’s.

That perception could become particularly damaging if Turkish naval operations expand beyond counter-piracy and maritime security into areas affecting fishing, offshore resources or local communities. The issue demands transparency.

Somalia should publicly clarify the legal basis, operational boundaries and rules of engagement governing foreign naval forces operating in its waters. It should also explain what safeguards exist to protect civilian fishermen and prevent illegal exploitation of marine resources.

Somalia cannot outsource sovereignty

The fundamental issue is bigger than Turkey. Somalia cannot rebuild its sovereignty by outsourcing the protection of its sovereignty indefinitely. Foreign military assistance may be necessary while Somali institutions remain weak. But assistance should strengthen Somalia’s own maritime forces—not create permanent dependency.

A serious maritime-security strategy should include a capable Somali coast guard, transparent licensing of foreign fishing operations, satellite and radar monitoring, protection for local fishermen, effective prosecution of maritime crimes and a clear legal framework governing foreign military deployments.

Without such institutions, Somalia risks becoming a country whose waters are defended by foreign navies while its own fishermen remain politically and economically vulnerable. Turkey may genuinely intend to help Somalia combat piracy and protect maritime routes. But the Somali public is entitled to ask a much broader question:

Who ultimately benefits from the security of Somalia’s seas—and who controls the resources beneath them?

Until Somalia can answer that question through strong institutions, transparent agreements and accountable national maritime authorities, every foreign warship entering Somali waters will inevitably generate both hope for greater security and fear of another chapter in the exploitation of a country whose strategic coastline has attracted competing powers for centuries.

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