Turkish Drones Are Fueling a Somali Shadow War

Ankara’s stealth takeover suits its geopolitical interests but has ruined many civilian lives.

Two men walk on a road toward the camera, surrounded by cars, with a low hospital building in the background. A sign hanging over the building's roof reads "Mogadishu Somali Turkiye Recep Tay Yip Erdogan." September 24, 2025, 12:01 AM Comment icon View Comments ( )

As 50-year-old Mohamed Ahmed Nur departed his home in the town of Quracley in Somalia’s Hiiraan region on Jan. 30, 2023, he recalled seeing drones hovering overhead but didn’t think much of it. Drones had become a common sight in the al- Shabab-controlled town.

Nur was at a funeral in a nearby district when news of the strike reached him later that day. He rushed back to a sc

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