Turkey
Somalis held: ~300Somalis reported held at a removal centre in Istanbul in mid-September 2026, pending deportation; fifty had been flown to Mogadishu by 15 September
Turkey is Somalia's closest security partner and, for Somalis, a place to study, work, and try for Europe. In September 2026, while protests against Turkey's military footprint spread across three Somali regions, Turkish authorities rounded up hundreds of Somalis in Istanbul and began flying them to Mogadishu. Somalia's foreign ministry said it had not been informed.
What is known
15 September 2026
Fifty Somalis — 25 men and 25 women — were deported from Turkey to Aden Adde airport, reportedly the first of nearly 300 rounded up in recent days and held at a removal facility in Istanbul. Deportees said they had committed no offence; they included university students and workers. Somalia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had not been informed, and that Turkey had the right to deport people it did not want in the country. Whether individual removal orders or legal process preceded the flights was not established. garoweonline.com
September 2026
The deportations came as anti-Turkey protests spread through Jubaland, Puntland and South West State over Turkish military operations and concessions, sharpening the question of what Somalia asks of Turkey in return for the partnership. somaliguardian.com
Standing
Turkey is a transit country for Somalis heading to Greece and onward; Turkish removal centres hold people intercepted on that route, often for months, and Turkey has deported Somalis before, at smaller scale. hornobserver.com
Open questions
- Who are the roughly 250 still held in Istanbul, and what has happened to them since 15 September?
- Were the fifty given removal orders, hearings, or lawyers before the flight?
- Why were students and workers with valid status among those detained — and was the round-up connected to the protests in Somalia?
- What did Somalia's embassy in Ankara do, and when did it learn of the detentions?
- What happened to the fifty on arrival in Mogadishu?
Cases
| Date | Who | Country | What happened | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-15 | Fifty Somalis (25 men, 25 women) | Turkey | Deported from Istanbul to Mogadishu; reportedly the first of nearly 300 detained at a removal centre in Istanbul, among them students and workers who said they had committed no offence. Somalia's foreign ministry said it had not been informed. | Deported to Mogadishu; ~250 reportedly still held in Istanbul | garoweonline.com |
Answer one of these questions
If you were held in Turkey, or you know someone who was, or you work in the system: give a testimony, pitch a piece, or WhatsApp OPR at +252 61 977 5580. In Somali or English. Named or not.