Qatari Military Cargo Plane Lands in Mogadishu Amid Shifting Horn of Africa Alliances

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Qatari Emiri Air Force C-17A Globemaster III strategic airlift aircraft landed at Aden Adde International Airport on Monday, signaling a continued buildup of military logistics in the Horn of Africa as regional tensions reshape long-standing alliances.

The heavy-lift military transport aircraft arrived in the Somali capital after a multi-leg journey originating from Turkey. Flight data and local reports indicate the aircraft made stops at military facilities in Kayseri and the Turkish capital, Ankara, before departing for Somalia.

While the specific contents of the cargo and the official mission objective have not been publicly disclosed by Somali or Qatari authorities, the arrival comes during a period of intensified security cooperation between Mogadishu, Doha, and Ankara.

The flight highlights a burgeoning tripartite security axis at a time when Somalia is recalibrating its foreign policy. Mogadishu has notably cooled its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while leaning more heavily on Turkish and Qatari support for institutional and military capacity building.

The regional landscape has grown increasingly complex following Israel’s recent unilateral recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland—a move that prompted Mogadishu to bolster its defensive posture. In response, Turkey has significantly expanded its military footprint in Somalia.

Beyond immediate security assistance, Ankara’s involvement has taken on a strategic long-term dimension. Turkish officials recently announced plans to establish a space launch facility on Somali soil. Additionally, Turkey has deployed naval assets to protect a Turkish vessel currently conducting seismic oil exploration off the Somali coast, acting under a bilateral defense and economic agreement.

The presence of the Qatari C-17, one of the world’s most capable long-range cargo jets, underscores the logistical scale of the military support currently flowing into the country as Somalia seeks to assert its sovereignty over its land and territorial waters.

GAROWE ONLINE