DOOLOW, Somalia, September 5, 2026 — Hundreds of civilians carrying Turkish flags gathered in Doolow district in Somalia’s Gedo region on Saturday to protest an alleged Turkish drone strike targeting the residence of former Somali Custodial Corps commander General Mahad Abdirahman Aden, widely known as General Shub.

The protesters carried the Turkish flags to identify the country they accused of conducting the attack and to express anger over Ankara’s alleged involvement—not as a show of support for Türkiye.

The Doolow district commissioner and other local officials addressed the demonstration in the town’s main public square. Speakers condemned the attack and accused Somalia’s federal government of authorising the alleged operation against General Shub.

The strike reportedly hit the compound where General Shub was staying before dawn on Friday. Jubaland said two missiles were fired, with one also striking the residence of the Doolow district commissioner. According to the regional administration, General Shub and four civilians were wounded. Conflicting local reports have claimed that several people were killed, but a confirmed casualty figure has not been released.

Jubaland directly accuses Türkiye

Jubaland accused Türkiye and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of responsibility for the reported strike, alleging that General Shub was targeted because of his political differences with the federal leadership.

The regional administration described the incident as a serious attack on civilians and called on the United Nations, African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, United States and European Union to examine Türkiye’s military activities in Somalia.

Jubaland also argued that Ankara could no longer be considered a neutral mediator in Somalia’s political disputes if the allegations were proven.

Laftagareen-aligned administration demands investigation

The South West administration aligned with former regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen separately accused Turkish forces of conducting an attempted assassination against General Shub.

It alleged that the strike was unrelated to operations against Al-Shabaab and deliberately targeted a Somali military officer associated with the political opposition.

The administration demanded an independent international investigation and called for the preservation of flight records, communications, intelligence reports and operational authorisations linked to the incident. It also asked Türkiye to disclose the Somali and Turkish officials who allegedly requested, approved or executed the operation.

The Laftagareen-aligned authorities have also accused Turkish aircraft of intervening in recent fighting around Baidoa on behalf of federal forces. Türkiye has not publicly confirmed those allegations.

Former Somali leaders condemn attack

Former presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo were among senior opposition figures who denounced the Doolow incident.

Sharif described it as an organised attempt to assassinate General Shub and accused the federal administration of using national security institutions to pursue political opponents. He warned that such actions could deepen divisions and undermine international efforts to rebuild Somalia’s security institutions.

Farmaajo called for an independent investigation and accused the federal leadership of targeting the former commander.

Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire warned that using armed drones to settle domestic political disagreements would establish a dangerous precedent. He called the alleged deployment of state weapons against former national officials a serious threat to Somali statehood.

The Somali Future Council and opposition lawmakers describing themselves as the “Free Parliament” group also condemned the incident and demanded an impartial investigation. Some opposition lawmakers directly accused Türkiye of involvement, although they did not publish evidence proving responsibility.

Former intelligence chiefs issue warnings

Two former directors of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency, Fahad Yasin Haji Dahir and Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloolshe, also criticised the reported attack.

Fahad Yasin compared the incident with the 2006 car bombing in Baidoa that targeted then-President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed. He argued that the Doolow strike could represent the first use of an armed drone in a conflict between rival Somali political factions and warned of consequences extending beyond Somalia.

Sanbaloolshe accused the federal administration of diverting international security assistance intended for fighting Al-Shabaab towards confronting political opponents. He warned that escalating political violence could weaken government institutions and create further opportunities for the militant group. No evidence supporting his broader allegations was included in his statement.

Federal government denies involvement

Somalia’s federal government denied responsibility for the Doolow explosions. The Information Ministry said preliminary reports from security agencies indicated that explosive materials being prepared inside a house had detonated.

Türkiye had not issued a public response to the accusations at the time of publication.