MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Several Somali air force officials were awarded certificates and diplomas after they completed a training course at Turkish National Defense University.
In a ceremony to mark Turkey’s August 30th Victory Day ceremony which attended by officials from Turkey and Somali governments, Turkish ambassador Olgan Beker presented the certificates to officials.
“We presented the certificates and diplomas of the Somali Officers who graduated from Turkish National Defence University Advanced HQ Officer Course and Air Force Academy on the occasion of the August 30th Victory Day ceremony,” said Turkey embassy in Mogadishu.
The event was held to commemorate the 96th anniversary of the War of Independence on Aug. 30 Victory Day.
Aug. 30 has been celebrated to mark the biggest battle of Turkey’s Independence War that led to the birth of the Turkish Republic a year after. It was declared as an official national holiday in 1926.
Turkey was occupied by allied forces after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War (1914-1918).
The occupation prompted Turkey’s War of Independence in 1919, during which Turkish forces, led by Gen. Mustafa Kemal, eventually ousted the occupiers from Anatolia.
Turkish forces fought the last battle, Dumlupınar, from Aug. 26 to 30 in 1922, when Greek forces were decisively defeated, which was later legitimized by the Treaty of Lausanne. By the end of the year, all foreign forces had left the territories which would collectively become the new Republic of Turkey in 1923.
Turkey and Somalia are longstanding partners, engaging in close development cooperation.
In the past two years, the Turkish government trained over 500 Somali military soldiers in Mogadishu.
Majority of them were trained at Turkish military base in Mogadishu which was opened on September 30 last year.
Turkey plans to train as many as 10,000 soldiers according to Somali officials.
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