ISTANBUL 

A presidential motion extending the deployment of Turkish Naval Forces in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia’s coast, the Arabian Sea and surrounding waters for another year from Feb. 10, 2026, has been published in the Official Gazette.

The extension aims to protect Turkish-flagged and Türkiye-linked commercial vessels, contribute to international efforts against piracy, armed robbery and maritime terrorism, support humanitarian aid operations, and strengthen the country’s naval operational experience and international cooperation.

Türkiye has actively participated in international anti-piracy missions since 2009, including NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield and the Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151), which the country has commanded seven times between 2009 and 2025.

The motion noted that upon Somalia’s request to the UN chief, no resolution has been adopted by the UN Security Council since 2022 to renew earlier mandates related to combating piracy, armed robbery and maritime terrorism in the Gulf of Aden, Somali territorial waters and adjacent regions.

It added that international operations against piracy and maritime crime continue in areas outside Somali territorial waters under UN Security Council Resolution 1851, adopted in 2008.

In this context, the motion recalled that the EU’s Operation Atalanta was extended until Feb. 28, 2027, under a ruling by the EU Council on Dec. 16, 2024.

The extension forms part of Türkiye’s international and national obligations to support maritime security, freedom of navigation, and global peace and stability in line with international law.