MOGADISHU, Somalia — October 4, 2026 — Construction is reportedly under way near a runway at Aden Adde International Airport on a large facility intended to house drones and military equipment, according to information provided to this outlet.
The project has raised concerns among some Western diplomatic missions and foreign airlines, sources familiar with the matter said. The concerns reportedly focus on security at the nearby Halane compound and the safety of civilian flights operating from the airport.
Some Western embassies have raised the construction with Somali federal government officials and called for it to be halted, according to the information provided. Foreign airlines have also reportedly expressed concern that the facility could pose a risk to their operations.
The facility is alleged to be intended for storing drones, weapons and other military equipment. The information provided also raises concerns about hazardous materials reportedly held in an existing military storage area at the airport. The nature and quantity of those materials could not be independently confirmed.
Footage said to have been recorded inside the site appears to show underground structures described as bunkers. Their purpose and current status could not be independently verified.
A Turkish defence company was reportedly awarded the original contract, with Somali groups becoming involved at a later stage. The project is said to have cost millions of dollars, but the contract terms and total expenditure were not independently confirmed.
The construction’s start date, the identity of the company and the Somali groups involved were not provided. The information also did not identify the embassies or airlines that raised concerns.
Turkey has supported Somalia’s military development through training for Somali forces at its military base in Mogadishu, which opened in 2017. The two countries signed a defence and economic cooperation agreement in 2024, expanding their security partnership.