Tuesday March 18, 2025
Isparta Governor Abdullah Erin speaks with injured Somali soldiers at Suleyman Demirel University Research and Application Hospital in Isparta, Türkiye, on March 18, 2025. The soldiers were among 24 injured following an altercation after a football match at the General Ihsan Alper Military Base, where Somali troops undergo training as part of Türkiye’s defence cooperation program. (Hurriyet)
ISTANBUL, Türkiye — A fight among Somali soldiers undergoing military training in Türkiye left 24 troops injured, including two in critical condition, following a football match at the General Ihsan Alper Military Base in Isparta, officials said Tuesday.
The altercation broke out on Monday evening during a match involving Somali trainees at the Turkish-run facility, which provides military instruction as part of ongoing defence cooperation between the two nations. Local authorities confirmed that Turkish forces stationed at the base quickly intervened to contain the situation.
Isparta Governor Abdullah Erin, who visited the injured soldiers at Suleyman Demirel University Research and Application Hospital, said security forces responded immediately, and emergency medical teams transported the injured to hospitals in the region.
He stated that security forces responded promptly to contain the situation. He noted that most of the injured soldiers received outpatient treatment, while two Somali soldiers remain in critical condition and are under intensive medical care.
Authorities have launched both administrative and judicial investigations to determine the circumstances that led to the confrontation. Security personnel were deployed to the scene as the situation unfolded, and officials emphasized that the base remains secure with no further disturbances reported.
The military base in Isparta is among several training facilities where Türkiye provides instruction to foreign military personnel, mainly from Somalia, under defence agreements. Türkiye has played a key role in strengthening Somalia’s security forces, notably through its largest overseas military base and training academy in Mogadishu, which has trained thousands of Somali troops.
While the exact cause of the brawl has not been disclosed, officials reiterated that the situation is under control. Further updates are expected as investigations continue.
