Somalia’s defense minister denies Turkish drones are part of anti-Al-Shabaab offensive

Bayraktar TB2 drone

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s defense minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur has denied that Turkish drones are participating in an offensive against the Al-Qaeda-aligned militant group Al-Shabaab, weeks after Bayraktar TB drones had been spotted in Somali airspace.

In an interview with Universal TV, Nur said only US drones are providing air support to Somali forces fighting militants in the central regions of Hiran and Middle Shabelle.

It came weeks after the minister of interior Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said Turkish drones joined the offensive in the Middle Shabelle region helping to dislodge militants from a number of towns and villages.

On Saturday, Somali president’s security advisor Hussein Moalim confirmed that Turkish air force was involved in the military operations against insurgents.

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