Turkey to use Somalia spaceport for hypersonic missile tests

PARIS – Turkey plans to use its proposed space launch facility in Somalia to test domestically developed hypersonic missiles capable of striking targets up to 2,000 kilometres away, French newspaper Le Monde has reported.

According to the report, Ankara views Somalia’s Indian Ocean coastline as an ideal location for missile and space launch activities, expanding the strategic role of the facility beyond its publicly announced purpose as a satellite launch centre.

The newspaper said the spaceport, initially presented as a civilian project for launching satellites, would also serve as a testing ground for long-range missile systems, including hypersonic weapons under development by Turkey.

The development comes amid longstanding accusations from sections of Somalia’s political opposition that Turkey has become directly involved in the country’s internal political affairs. Opposition figures have argued that Ankara has been among the leading foreign supporters of Somalia’s term-expired President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, remaining in power despite the ongoing political dispute over the country’s electoral process.

Opposition leaders have also maintained that Turkey’s political and security support has favoured one side of Somalia’s political divide, which they say undermines the federal system and weakens political consensus.

If confirmed, the project would further transform Somalia into a strategic arena where foreign powers compete for influence, intensifying concerns over external involvement in the country’s politics and security.

The development could also reinforce Israel’s strategic interests in Somalia following its recent announcement that it had recognized Somaliland, which occupies a key position along the Red Sea corridor.

The report added that Israel views the project as a potential threat to its national security and is closely monitoring developments amid growing regional concerns over Turkey’s expanding military footprint in the Horn of Africa.

Le Monde also said that Somaliland, which it described as receiving military support from Israel, lies within the operational range of missiles that could be tested from the planned facility in Somalia.

Neither the Turkish nor the Somali governments has publicly confirmed that the spaceport will be used for missile testing, and Israel has not officially commented on the specific claims reported by Le Monde.

GAROWE ONLINE