
Staunchly allied with Turkey, Somalia has become a flashpoint in Turkey's rivalry with Israel. Ankara recently deployed fighter jets to Mogadishu in the latest signal that it is determined to protect its strategic interests in the Horn of Africa after Israel recognised the breakaway region of Somaliland.
In a conspicuous display of military strength, Turkish F-16 fighter jets roared over the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in late January.