Turkey-Israel Tension in Horn of Africa and Beyond

 The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies published on 6 January 2026 an analysis titled "From Syria to Somaliland: Turkey-Israel Competition Reshapes Region" by Burcu Ozcelik.

Turkey has a strong relationship with Somalia, increasing interests in the region, and opposes Israel's recent recognition of breakaway Somaliland.  This development adds to tension between Turkey and Israel in the Horn of Africa.  Turkish and Israeli interests also diverge sharply in Syria, Gaza, Cyprus, and Greece.

Turkey Reaches Out to African Maghreb

The South African Institute of International Affairs published on 3 February 2020 an analysis titled "Turkey and the Shifting Geopolitical Sands of North and East Africa" by Elias Eliades.

As Turkey gets increasingly mired in Syria it is expanding its influence in the African Maghreb. It signed two agreements with the Libyan government in Tripoli and President Erdogan made visits this year to Tunisia and Algeria.