In what appears to be a bold escalation of foreign intervention, Turkey has taken the unprecedented step of formalizing its diplomatic presence in Lasanod—a contested city at the heart of Somaliland’s territorial integrity. While Turkish officials present this move as part of their wider Horn of Africa engagement, beneath the surface lies a dangerous and destabilizing strategy: Ankara is actively enabling a proxy conflict inside Somaliland.
Rather than mediating as once promised, Turkey is now working directly with the Khaatumo administration—an entity at odds with Somaliland’s sovereignty. Turkish military advisors have been embedded within Khaatumo-aligned militias in Lasanod, supplying training, secure communication systems, and armored vehicles.
These forces now function under a hybrid command structure, taking orders from both Khaatumo and Turkish handlers. This dual authority has severely undermined Hargeisa’s ability to maintain peace and security in the region.
The implications are profound. Mohamed Warsame, a respected civic voice in Hargeisa, warned: “Turkey is no longer a neutral partner. It is planting the seeds of a civil war under the guise of development aid and security assistance. Somaliland must act before this experiment in foreign-backed militarization spirals further out of control.”
Many Somalilanders now see Ankara’s move as part of a larger regional chessboard. As the United Arab Emirates strengthens its hold on Berbera Port and the United States weighs the prospect of recognizing Somaliland, Turkey has doubled down on Lasanod. By embedding itself there, it secures a front-row seat to the region’s evolving geopolitics and positions itself to challenge both Emirati economic influence and American strategic expansion.
The recent high-level meeting in Mogadishu between Khaatumo leader Cabdiqaadir Axmed Aw-Cali and Turkish Ambassador Alper Aktaș openly revealed the extent of this collusion.
The ambassador, whose official role should have been with Somalia’s federal government, is now facilitating direct support to a group undermining Somaliland’s territorial sovereignty. “Turkey knows Lasanod is part of Somaliland,” Warsame added. “This meeting was not diplomacy—it was a declaration of proxy warfare.”
Turkey’s permanent diplomatic footprint in Lasanod is not merely symbolic. It is accompanied by the creation of Turkish-backed security units equipped with gear and logistical support from Ankara. These units—operating under Turkish direction—have altered the regional balance and pose a growing threat to the central authority of Hargeisa.
Situated at the strategic Sanaag–Sool frontier, Lasanod has long been a contested flashpoint between Somaliland and Puntland. By selecting this location for its military footprint, Ankara is signaling a long-term bet on fracturing Somaliland’s sovereignty and reshaping the region’s security dynamics to its advantage.
What began as soft power diplomacy has now morphed into a hard-edged military alliance. Turkey is building a foothold in Lasanod not for peace, but for projection. The time for Hargeisa to act is now. It must immediately reassess its ties with Turkey and consider shutting down the Turkish office in Hargeisa. Continued inaction will only embolden Ankara to press further into Somaliland territory under the cover of “development aid.”
As foreign embassies ponder Somaliland’s growing relevance, Ankara has shown its hand. It is not here to partner—it is here to influence, divide, and dominate. The message from concerned citizens like Mohamed Warsame is unambiguous: “This is no longer diplomacy. It is occupation by proxy. Somaliland must respond accordingly.”
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