The Turkish parliament has passed a motion for the deployment of Turkish Armed Forces elements to Somalia, including the maritime jurisdiction areas of the country.

Elements of the Turkish Armed Forces will be deployed in Somalia for two years to support Somalia’s security activities against terrorism and other threats, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the motion passed on Saturday.

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The move came after a defence and economic cooperation deal between Turkey and Somalia signed in February, aiming at bolstering Somalia’s maritime defence capabilities, said the motion.

“Our friendship with Somalia will be strengthened, as well as our country’s support to the efforts against terrorism, maritime banditry, and armed robbery in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and adjacent regions, which endanger international peace and stability and negatively affect our national interests,” it added.

In mid-July, the Turkish Energy Ministry announced that Turkey would send an oil and gas exploration vessel off the coast of Somalia later this year as part of a hydrocarbon cooperation deal between the two countries.