Turkey Seeks to Mediate Between Somali Government and Opposition Amid Rising Tensions

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkey has launched efforts to mediate between Somalia’s federal government and opposition leaders following recent clashes in Mogadishu that have heightened fears of political instability and drawn concern from international partners.

The international community has expressed alarm over the violence that recently shook the Somali capital, issuing repeated calls for restraint and urging rival political actors to resolve their differences through dialogue and consensus rather than confrontation.

The clashes and military movements in Mogadishu have unsettled residents and raised concerns among Somalia’s foreign partners, who have warned against actions that could undermine the country’s fragile stability.

Amid the tensions, a high-level Turkish delegation led by the deputy head of Turkey’s intelligence service is in Mogadishu holding separate meetings with government officials and opposition leaders, according to sources familiar with the talks. The delegation is seeking to ease tensions and facilitate dialogue between the rival sides over Somalia’s political future and electoral process.