The Turkish Naval Forces have announced that their warships, TCG Gökçeada and TCG Yıldırım, are en route to Mogadishu. Once there, they will conduct operations focused on vessel protection and maritime security in Somali waters.

According to a statement released by the Turkish Naval Forces, both vessels are part of the Somali Naval Task Group and are currently on a mission to facilitate the protection of the fishing vessel *Mustafa Korkmaz A*.

The fishing vessel is scheduled to carry out exploratory activities and trial fishing within Somalia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Turkish warships have been tasked with providing escort and security for the vessel throughout these operations.

Furthermore, the deployment of these two ships is part of the preparations for a rotation of Turkish naval assets operating in Somali waters.

This mission comes at a time when Turkey plays a prominent role in Somalia’s security and defense cooperation—specifically regarding military training, maritime security, and the development of Somalia’s capacity to safeguard its own marine resources.

As of now, no further details have been provided regarding the duration of the protection mission for the fishing vessel or the specific timeline for the rotation of the Turkish naval forces.