Thursday September 4, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — For the first time in Somalia’s history, eleven women have graduated as officers from the Türkiye-Somalia military academy in Mogadishu.
The graduates completed three years of rigorous cadet training, earning commissions in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The achievement is being celebrated as a breakthrough for Somali women seeking roles in the nation’s armed forces.
“This is an inspiring dawn for the Somali National Army,” Battalion Commander Jamal Hassan Ali said during the ceremony, praising the cadets for their discipline, courage, and perseverance.
The graduates were part of a larger class of officers commissioned at the event, which drew Somali and Turkish officials. Military leaders said the inclusion of women signals progress in both strengthening Somalia’s defence institutions and advancing gender equality in national service.
The TURKSOM academy was established in 2017 under a bilateral defence agreement between Somalia and Türkiye. It has since become one of Somalia’s most important training institutions, producing thousands of soldiers for the Somali National Army.
The program, led by Turkish military instructors, is regarded as a cornerstone of efforts to build a professional and unified Somali force capable of countering Al-Shabaab and reducing reliance on foreign peacekeepers. Graduates of TURKSOM have played a key role in frontline operations against the insurgency.
