KISMAYO (SD) – A protest against the Turkish government was held in Kismayo, the interim capital of Jubaland, with demonstrators accusing Ankara of interfering in Somalia’s internal political and security affairs.

Protesters carried banners and placards criticizing Turkey’s growing role in Somalia and describing Ankara’s involvement as a form of foreign interference. The demonstration comes amid increasingly strained relations between Jubaland and Somalia’s Federal Government.

Jubaland officials who addressed the gathering made strong accusations against both the Federal Government and Turkey, linking Ankara’s role to the wider political crisis confronting the country.

Jubaland’s Security Minister blamed President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for the deterioration of Somalia’s political situation, accusing the Federal Government of creating conditions that have deepened tensions between Mogadishu and the federal member states.

“The state and ownership of property were made worthless by Hassan Sheikh, whose time has come, and we are ready to defend ourselves against him and the new colonialists,” the minister said, referring to what he described as growing foreign influence in Somalia.

Kismayo District Governor Omar Faraweyne also sharply criticized Turkey, accusing Ankara of pursuing an interventionist policy in Somalia.

“Turkey is a new colonialist that has occupied Somalia,” Faraweyne said, reflecting the increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Ankara among some Jubaland officials and political actors.

The protests follow growing disagreements over Turkey’s expanding military and political role in Somalia. Turkey’s parliament approved a further two-year extension of its military mission in Somalia in July, extending the mandate through 2028.

Jubaland and Puntland have also previously declined to participate in Turkey-linked political meetings in Mogadishu, with officials questioning Ankara’s neutrality in Somalia’s ongoing political disputes.

The latest demonstration comes amid a broader confrontation between the Federal Government and several political and regional actors over elections, federal authority, constitutional issues and the role of foreign governments in Somalia’s security affairs.

The protests also come shortly after Jubaland accused Turkey of involvement in a reported airstrike in Gedo targeting former Somali Custodial Corps commander Mahad Abdirahman Aden. Turkey’s alleged involvement in that incident has not been independently established, but the accusation has further fueled criticism of Ankara in Jubaland.

The Kismayo protest reflects a significant shift in how Turkey’s role in Somalia is being perceived by some regional political actors. Ankara has traditionally presented its engagement as support for Somalia’s stability, security and development, but Jubaland officials increasingly portray that involvement as political interference.

The central question is whether Turkey can maintain its extensive security relationship with Mogadishu while retaining credibility with Somalia’s federal member states. If accusations that Turkish military capabilities are being used in Somalia’s internal political disputes continue to emerge, Ankara could face growing pressure to demonstrate that its role is neutral and consistent with Somalia’s broader political reconciliation.