12/12/2020

From Syria to Libya, Yemen, and Azerbaijan… where next for Syrian mercenaries on Turkish payroll? Somalia?

What is the next destination for the Syrian mercenaries on Turkeys payroll? From Syria to Libya, Yemen, and Azerbaijan to…? According to Sky News Arabia, Turkish intelligence and military services are now preparing to send groups of Syrian mercenaries to Somalia. The transfer of mercenaries to Somalia would have been planned in coordination with Turkey-loyal militia leaders and terrorist groups in Mogadishu.

Sky News, citing Syrian sources, reports that Turkish intelligence services met with mercenary leaders in the village of Medan Akbis in the occupied city of Cafrin (Afrin) on Nov 12; “The meeting was held, according to the sources, at the home of a close associate, named Zuhair, of the leaders of the terrorist factions in the presence of officials from Afrin city, namely Abu Hassan and his assistant Hisham, who are known to the residents of Afrin and its countryside.”

The meeting focused on the opening of military training centers for mercenaries in the villages of Ali Beska and Blika in the Raju district of Cafrin to be send to Somalia. The Turkish occupation army would open a border crossing in the village of Benerka, on the same side of the Turkish base, in order to facilitate the transfer of mercenaries to Turkey and then to Somalia.

Somalia is a forward platform which serves Turkey’s geopolitical strategy in Africa. Turkey is present in poor Somalia with a big military base and, it says, is there to train Somali federal soldiers against rebels and terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab.

Turkish companies hold interests in Mogadishu’s International Airport and the Turkish Albayrak group holds 55% of the Port of Mogadishu, reports Sky News.