Prominent political figures opposed to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud include outspoken opposition leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, and Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam "Madobe.”

Their broader political camp has accused the Federal Government of increasingly relying on military force against politicians, officials and regional administrations that reject President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s political and constitutional agenda.

The accusations intensified following the reported airstrike on the Doolow residence of former Somali Custodial Corps commander General Mahad Abdirahman Aden "Shub.” Jubaland directly accused Türkiye and the Federal Government of responsibility, alleging that Turkish military aircraft were used to target Shub because of his political differences with Villa Somalia. General Shub and four civilians were reported injured. The operator of the aircraft has not been independently established.

Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed separately condemned the attack and accused the federal administration of orchestrating a politically motivated attempt to eliminate General Shub. He warned Somalia’s national security institutions against becoming instruments in political disputes. The Federal Government has denied responsibility for the Doolow incident.

Türkiye Faces Growing Political Backlash

The controversy comes amid an unprecedented expansion of Türkiye’s military footprint in Somalia. Türkiye maintains a major military training presence, has trained Somali elite forces and has deployed additional air capabilities, including F-16 fighter jets, to Somalia.

Opposition figures and regional administrations increasingly argue that military assistance originally justified by counter-terrorism and national-security objectives must not be used to influence Somalia’s internal political balance or suppress political rivals.

Jubaland has accused Ankara of abandoning political neutrality and siding with Villa Somalia. It warned that such involvement could undermine Türkiye’s credibility as a future mediator in Somali political disputes.

The growing criticism has also produced a more confrontational narrative among government opponents, with some portraying Türkiye’s expanding military, strategic and economic influence as a form of "new colonialism.” Such characterisations remain political accusations rather than established findings.

Critics argue that a foreign partner cannot simultaneously present itself as Somalia’s strategic ally and mediator while being accused of providing military capabilities that could be deployed in conflicts involving domestic political opponents.

Constitutional Crisis Behind the Confrontation

At the centre of the dispute is Somalia’s unresolved constitutional crisis.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s original four-year mandate was due to expire on May 15, 2026. Constitutional amendments extended presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years, but Puntland, Jubaland and opposition leaders grouped around the Somali Future Council rejected the extension and disputed its legitimacy. The Federal Government maintains that the constitutional changes are lawful.

The political confrontation has increasingly acquired a military dimension. Federal forces took control of Baidoa in March following the breakdown between Villa Somalia and former South West President Abdiaziz Laftagareen, while renewed fighting erupted around Baidoa on September 3 between government forces and fighters aligned with Laftagareen.

The Doolow strike has therefore become more than an isolated security incident. For opponents of Villa Somalia, it represents a test of whether foreign military power is becoming intertwined with Somalia’s internal struggle over political authority.

If credible independent evidence establishes that foreign military aircraft were deliberately used against Somali political opponents, the implications would be profound — not only for the Federal Government, but also for Türkiye’s long-standing relationship with the Somali people.

For now, however, responsibility for the Doolow strike remains disputed, and allegations that Turkish aircraft were responsible have not been independently verified.

Sunatimes – Investigative Desk
Mogadishu, Somalia