Türkiye’s Parliament on Tuesday approved a presidential mandate extending the deployment of Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) naval elements in the Gulf of Aden, Somali territorial waters, the Arabian Sea and adjacent regions for one more year, underscoring Ankara’s commitment to maritime security and international anti-piracy operations.
The motion highlights Türkiye’s long-standing participation in global efforts to combat piracy, armed robbery at sea and maritime terrorism. According to the text of the mandate, the deployment aims to ensure the safety of Turkish-flagged and Türkiye-linked commercial vessels, support humanitarian missions in the region and strengthen cooperation with partner countries.
The government noted that TSK naval elements have contributed actively to international operations since 2009, including NATO’s Ocean Shield mission and Combined Task Force–151, under the U.S.-led Combined Maritime Forces. Türkiye has commanded CTF-151 seven times between 2009 and 2025, most recently assuming leadership on July 24, 2024, before handing it over in January 2025.
The mandate recalled that Türkiye is a founding member of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, established under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1851, and continues to participate in EU and NATO frameworks, as well as International Maritime Organization initiatives.
Although the U.N. Security Council has not issued new resolutions on Somalia’s territorial waters since 2022, international anti-piracy operations outside Somali territorial waters continue, including the EU’s Operation Atalanta, which was extended by the European Council until Feb. 28, 2027. Turkish naval forces continue to take part in CTF-151 activities under the Combined Maritime Forces.
The motion stressed that piracy and maritime terrorism remain threats to international peace and security and directly affect Türkiye’s national interests due to the strategic importance of maritime trade routes. Ensuring safe navigation and supporting multinational counter-piracy operations are described as both “international and national responsibilities” for Türkiye.
Under the authorization, TSK naval units will continue operations outside the territorial waters of regional states, with the scope and timing of deployments to be determined by the president in line with Article 92 of the Constitution. The current mandate, set to expire on Feb. 10, 2026, has now been extended to February 2027.
The motion for the Gulf of Aden, Somalia and Arabian Sea was first approved by Parliament in 2008 and extended every year since then. The Gulf of Aden, near Yemen and close to the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the world's fourth-biggest chokepoint for oil transit, is a strategic energy route for Middle Eastern crude oil. The Arabian Sea and Somalia are adjacent to the Gulf and the Strait.
The deployment provides security for Turkish-flagged vessels and commercial vessels linked to Türkiye and contributes to joint operations by other countries against sea piracy and maritime terrorism. The motion also facilitates the delivery of humanitarian relief to the said areas.
Türkiye says that it also helps the Turkish army's naval components to gain regional experience and support national policies regarding the relevant countries while bolstering Türkiye's regional and international role within the U.N. system and its "visibility" in the international community.
