Turkey’s parliament has approved a presidential decree extending the deployment of the Turkish navy for an additional year in the Gulf of Aden, Somali waters, the Arabian Sea and surrounding areas.

The decree, issued by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and endorsed by lawmakers, authorises Turkish naval forces to continue maritime security operations aimed at preventing the transfer of weapons and military equipment to armed groups, including al-Shabab and Islamic State, according to the text of the decision.

Under the renewed mandate, Turkish forces will also provide protection for commercial vessels transiting Somali waters and the Gulf of Aden, a key route for global trade.

Turkey, a NATO member, has taken part in maritime security missions linked to Somalia since 2009, with its deployment renewed on an annual basis through parliamentary approval.

The new extension will remain in effect until February 2027, the decree said.

The Gulf of Aden lies close to Yemen and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints and the fourth-largest oil transit route globally, through which a significant share of Middle Eastern energy exports passes.

The extension comes amid heightened regional sensitivities, following Israel’s recent announcement that it had recognised a northeastern regional administration in Somalia, a move rejected by the Somali federal government and opposed by much of the international community.