Gorgor Special Forces

Gorgor (meaning: the vulture) is a commando unit of the Somali National Army, formed in 2017 on the basis of a bilateral agreement between Somalia and Turkey. Basic training is conducted at the TURKSOM military base in Mogadishu, while a portion of commando training is provided at the commando training center in Isparta, Turkey, and at other locations such as Manisa.

Defense analysts count Gorgor among the most heavily trained and armed units in Somalia, second only to Danab (the unit trained by the United States). It is used in counter-terrorism operations against Al-Shabaab, but it has also been linked to political use in disputes between the federal government and regional administrations.

Origin and training

Military cooperation between Turkey and Somalia is based on agreements signed in 2010 and 2012, followed by the opening of the TURKSOM base on 30 September 2017 in Mogadishu — Turkey's largest overseas military base. Both Gorgor and the special police unit Haramcad emerged from this training program. It has been reported that Turkey has trained up to 16,000 Somali soldiers in total, including officers and non-commissioned officers.

The training process typically began with several months of basic training at TURKSOM, after which selected units were sent to Turkey to undergo commando training. In 2025, the Somali National News Agency (SONNA) reported that the 21st Battalion of the 1st Brigade of Gorgor became the first full unit to undergo identical joint training in Manisa, Turkey.

Numbers and equipment

Estimates of Gorgor's size vary by source. A 2023–2024 research assessment stated that more than 6,000 soldiers had been trained since 2017, while the active strength as of March 2024 was estimated at around 4,000 — the difference being attributed to attrition and operational losses. A 2021 regional media report put the number at 4,500–5,000.

Gorgor's equipment mostly comes from Turkish donations. In 2020 and 2021, BMC Kirpi armored vehicles (mine-resistant ambush protected, MRAP) and Aktan military pickup trucks were delivered and handed over to the Somali Ministry of Defense. Turkey has also supplied Somalia with Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, which have been used in airstrikes against Al-Shabaab, and which have at times sparked debate over the United Nations arms embargo.

Operations

Gorgor units took part in the 2022 joint operation in Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle against Macawiisley militias, as well as 2025 operations in Shabelle. In February 2025, Gorgor's 17th Battalion (175th Brigade), working with the 14th of October Brigade, carried out an operation that destroyed Al-Shabaab checkpoints used for tax collection in Lower Shabelle. A Gorgor officer, Dayax Abdi Abdulle, held command of the ground forces of the national army in 2023–24.

Political role and criticism

Security analysts have said that Gorgor has repeatedly been deployed to places where the federal government sought to influence regional elections. On 19 February 2021, security forces in Mogadishu — including Gorgor, according to protesters and media reports — blocked an opposition protest, during which gunfire occurred. In November 2024, Gorgor was deployed to Lower Jubba following the Jubbaland election, which the federal government had rejected. Institutional analysis has noted that Gorgor is less insulated than Danab from chain-of-command and political-influence concerns, since Ankara does not maintain oversight comparable to that which the United States exercises over Danab.

Turkish presence in 2025

Between April and May 2025, Turkey increased its forces stationed in Somalia by up to 500 additional troops — including commandos and unmanned aerial vehicle operations personnel — bringing the total to about 800. The increase coincided with a period in which the African Union operation (AUSSOM) was reducing its troop numbers and funding, placing additional strain on Somali units such as Gorgor and Danab.