[GaroweOnline] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... has poured huge sums into making Somalia one of its main foreign outposts but is being sucked into the country’s violent mostly peaceful political battles, risking the goodwill it has built.
Ottoman Turkish F-16s fired missiles around Baidoa, a city in southern Somalia, on Monday as they helped federal troops fight off an attack by forces loyal to an ousted governor.
Turkey was also accused of an Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... on September 3 that injured opposition leader General Mahad Abdirahman in the southern town of Doolow, though the government claimed he was hurt by explosives "being prepared inside the house".
That incident sparked rare anti-Turkey protests in the region, with some burning its flag and desecrating images of Ottoman Turkish President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important... "Turkey is a new colonial power that is occupying Somalia and is killing Somali people," district commissioner Omar Abdullahi told a crowd of protesters in nearby Afmadow.
"From today onwards, are we not at war with Turkey?"
HUGE INVESTMENT
While several Western countries have grown tired of funding a country in perpetual conflict, Turkey established its biggest overseas military base in Somalia.
It is also building a spaceport on the Somali coast dedicated to launches and satellite technologies, as well as exploring for oil.
The Turks have trained Somali troops, provided aid during droughts, floods and famines, and helped transform the capital, Mogadishu, with new roads and solar streetlights, while its companies run the city’s airport and seaport.
Diplomats in Mogadishu jokingly complain of being awoken by the roar of the three Ottoman Turkish F-16s.
Many Somalis are grateful — particularly as Washington has cut vital aid needed for the fight against the Al Qaeda-linked holy warrior group, al-Shabaab ... the personification of Somali state failure... that controls swathes of the country.
But opposition parties say Ottoman Turkish military training, vehicles, and drones — originally meant to battle al-Shabaab — are being used against them and their militias, including during political festivities in Mogadishu in June.
Unexpectedly.
Somalia is in a deep political crisis after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pushed through unpopular reforms that included extending his mandate for a year, and the opposition met with Ottoman Turkish diplomats to warn against taking sides.
’PERFECT COOPERATION’ Ottoman Turkish construction work is pressing ahead regardless.
The first phase of the spaceport at Warsheikh, around about 70 kilometres (40 miles) north of Mogadishu, is due to be completed soon, a local official said on condition of anonymity.
Turkey is in Somalia for the long-term and its interests go far beyond the current government.
"A succession of presidents and politicians has held office, and we have worked in perfect cooperation with these successive leaders," said a senior Ottoman Turkish official working on the Somalia file.
"All political actors in Somalia know that Turkey’s support is intended for the Somali people and for Somalia, not for any specific political line," he added.
This was supported by a Western diplomat based in Mogadishu.
"Turkey is a highly sophisticated actor and will support whoever best secures those interests," he told AFP.
’DISINFORMATION’
The Somali government says the opposition is using "disinformation" to malign the relationship with Turkey.
"It was shameful to see the Ottoman Turkish flag being burned on Somali soil," said parliament speaker Abdulkadir Mohammed Nur at an event to commemorate the partnership on September 9.
Somali MP Amina Mohammed Mursal told AFP that the Turks "are our brothers and sisters... They came to our aid during difficult times."
Some ordinary Somalis are still wary.
"Turkey can no longer be seen as a neutral partner... Its backing of the federal government’s leadership is deepening political divisions and fuelling our resentment," Mogadishu resident Dahir Ahmed told AFP.
"Many people now openly criticise Turkey — a marked change from the widespread support it enjoyed when it first became involved in Somalia," added Shueyb Yare, a businessman from the diaspora.
The Nigerian Army has operationalised three new Infantry Battalions in Zamfara State as part of efforts to strengthen security operations and enhance rapid response to emerging threats across the state.
The newly activated formations are the 12 Infantry Battalion, Bakura; 23 Infantry Battalion, Kaura Namoda; and 28 Infantry Battalion, Anka.
A statement by the General Officer Commanding 8 Division Nigerian Army and Commander, Sector 2, Joint Task Force, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Maj.-Gen. B.P. Koughna, said the development would expand the Army’s operational coverage and improve security within the battalions’ respective Areas of Responsibility.
The statement, issued by the Acting Brigade Commander, Col. Umaru, said the Army remained committed to sustained operations aimed at protecting law-abiding citizens and restoring lasting peace across Zamfara.
Col. Umaru called for stronger collaboration among the military, other security agencies, traditional institutions and communities, stressing that timely and credible intelligence remained critical to successful security operations.
He also charged the newly deployed troops to maintain discipline, professionalism and vigilance while operating within their constitutional mandate and established Rules of Engagement.
The Acting Brigade Commander urged the troops to remain responsive to the security needs of the communities within their areas of responsibility and to sustain close engagement with local stakeholders.
In separate remarks, the Emirs of Bakura, Anka and Kaura Namoda commended the Nigerian Army for establishing the additional battalions.
The traditional rulers described the move as an important step towards strengthening security and restoring normalcy in communities across the state.
The activation of the three battalions is expected to further enhance the Army’s presence and operational reach in Zamfara State, particularly in areas requiring faster response to security threats.
[KhaamaPress] The United States will extend the operation of Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... for another nine months, delaying the planned closure of a facility housing more than 1,000 Afghans who supported the U.S. war effort or are family members of American service members, the News Agency that Dare Not be Named reported, citing U.S. officials.
Two U.S. officials told AP that Secretary of State Marco Rubio ...The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida, Secretary of State in the second Trump administration... is expected to approve the extension. The camp had been scheduled to close on Wednesday, September 30, leaving its Afghan residents facing uncertainty over their future destination.
About 1,039 Afghan allies and family members are currently at the camp, according to AfghanEvac, which has tracked the population. The organization says about 752 residents are women and kiddies, while around 150 are immediate family members of active-duty or recently separated U.S. service members.
Many of the Afghan residents were evacuated after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and had worked with U.S. forces, including as interpreters and in other supporting roles. AfghanEvac says the residents were vetted before being transported to Qatar and had been expected to continue through relocation pathways to the United States.
The nine-month extension does not resolve the residents’ long-term status or guarantee admission to the United States. AP reported that the administration has been seeking third countries willing to accept some of the Afghans, while no final destination plan has been announced. The Democratic Republic of the Congo ...formerly the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Zaire, and who knows what else, not to be confused with the Brazzaville Congo aka Republic of Congo, which is much smaller and much more (for Africa) stable. DRC gave the world Patrice Lumumba and Joseph Mobutu, followed by years of tedious civil war. Its principle industry seems to be the production of corpses. With a population of about 74 million it has lots of raw material... has previously been reported as one of the countries considered for possible third-country transfers.
The Trump administration suspended the broader Afghan refugee resettlement program after returning to office, significantly limiting pathways for Afghans awaiting relocation. AfghanEvac says only a small number of Afghans have entered the United States through refugee admissions since the administration’s policy changes.
Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, welcomed the extension as temporary relief for residents who had faced the possibility of the camp closing without a clear destination. He has also called for a permanent solution rather than keeping Afghan families in temporary accommodation for additional months.
The U.S. State Department has said it is working toward a safe resolution for the residents while discussions over relocation continue. For the Afghans remaining at Camp As Sayliyah, however, the extension primarily postpones the closure deadline while leaving the central question, where they will ultimately be allowed to live unresolved.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Mikhail Kolovangin
[Regnum] The story of the detention of five young Britons near Fairford Air Force Base in England was interpreted in the most high-profile way possible from the very beginning: a plot to commit a terrorist attack, a thwarted strike on American military infrastructure (US Air Force aircraft are stationed there), and an almost inevitable "Iranian connection."
However, as details emerge, this theory is no longer so clear-cut. The main fact established so far is that no improvised explosive devices were found in the three suspicious vans, but a quantity of gasoline was found. All five detainees were released on bail without charges.
This doesn't prove there was no criminal intent. The investigation is ongoing, and British counterterrorism police are exploring several possibilities, including the suspects' unknowing involvement with a foreign state.
But there is a fundamental difference between the concepts of “a version is being verified” and “a conspiracy is proven.”
True.
TOO LITTLE FOR A TERRORIST ATTACK
The alarm was initially raised by three white vans spotted late at night near a strategic facility.
Five men, aged between 23 and 25, were detained first on suspicion of violating explosives laws and then of plotting a terrorist attack. The area was cordoned off, residents of approximately 85 houses were evacuated, and bomb disposal teams and forensic experts were called in.
However, after a thorough inspection, the police officially announced that not a single improvised explosive device was found in the vehicles. Moreover, one of the suspects had called emergency services even before the local farmer's call.
Such a call, of course, is not proof of innocence, but in the picture that was painted immediately of a carefully prepared attack on a military base, this detail looks, at the very least, strange.
If the authorities already had compelling evidence of a planned attack, foreign control of the group, and a specific connection to Tehran, it would be logical to expect charges, the publication of at least basic information about the discovered devices, or more definitive formulations of the investigation.
Instead, the suspects were quickly released on bail, with no motive yet established and police continuing to investigate "several leads."
PRECIOUS FUEL
Against this backdrop, an alternative theory emerged: the men may have been stealing fuel—cheap, subsidized red diesel from farmland or other fuel—for resale.
This refers to a fuel with reduced excise duty, to which dyes and chemical markers are added in the UK. Its properties are similar to those of regular diesel, but the markings allow the tax authorities to quickly detect its misuse.
Red diesel is permitted to be used only in certain types of equipment and activities—for example, in agriculture and forestry, on the railroad, on some marine vessels, and for stationary generators and heating. Fueling regular road vehicles and vans with it is prohibited, as this is considered a violation of excise regulations.
There's also an important clarification: the police reported finding gasoline, not diesel. Therefore, it can't be said that the theft has already been established.
But the absence of a bomb, the presence of fuel containers, the quick release of those detained on bail, and the uncertainty of the motive leave the criminal-domestic explanation among the plausible ones—and certainly no less worthy of investigation than the politically convenient “Iranian connection.”
The economic backdrop certainly doesn't refute this theory. At the end of September 2025, the average price of diesel in the UK was 143.14 pence per litre. By September 28, 2026, it had reached an all-time high of 199.18 pence. This represents an increase of approximately 39% year-on-year.
Fuel prices rose especially sharply after the start of the American operation against Iran, which involved the Fairford airbase.
Since February 28, the price of diesel fuel has increased from 142.38 to 199.18 pence per liter—an increase of almost 40%. Converted at the official exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the current price is approximately 223 rubles per liter, and filling a 55-liter tank costs approximately 12,300 rubles.
THE CULPRIT HAS ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED
President Donald Trump said he was surprised by the suspects' release and would not have released them on bail himself.
Asked about Iran, the US leader said the connection was "possible," adding that he knew the answer but preferred not to disclose the details.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio went further, saying that the incident "clearly shows the hand of a foreign actor."
The politicians did not provide any public evidence.
The British investigation is noticeably more cautious. Law enforcement officials have not established a motive, have not confirmed Iran's involvement, and are considering various scenarios.
Tehran itself denied the accusations. It's a familiar situation: a political verdict from Washington came before investigators on the ground had determined exactly what happened.
UNPLEASANT CONCLUSIONS
The situation is made particularly awkward by Fairford's status as the main base for American bombers in Europe.
Since March, aircraft have been flying from here to carry out strikes on Iranian military and civilian infrastructure.
If three vans could really approach such a vital facility at night and cause a large-scale evacuation, questions should be asked not only about the "external enemy" but also about the security arrangements in the United Kingdom.
Moreover, in June 2025, pro-Palestinian activists infiltrated the major British airbase at Brize Norton on electric scooters. They reached aircraft and sprayed red paint into the engines of two of them. Following this, the Ministry of Defence ordered a security review of all military bases in the country.
A year has passed, and British authorities are once again attributing the emergency near a key military facility to a possible foreign threat. But for now, the facts are limited to three vans, gasoline, missing explosive devices, five local citizens released on bail, and a theory about a foreign connection, which is still being investigated.
The situation surrounding Fairford is truly strange. Equally strange is the speed with which Washington has assigned an external culprit in the absence of public evidence, while the more prosaic theory of the theft of expensive fuel remains unconfirmed.
It seems that searching for an external enemy has once again proven easier than calmly awaiting the results of the investigation and talking about one's own failures in ensuring security.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of directorate4
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
[ColonelCassad] An unexpected release. Five people detained near RAF Fairford have been released from custody. All were British nationals between the ages of 23 and 25, permanent residents of London. However, the charges against the men have not been dropped: they have been released on bail and under strict supervision.
The investigation is ongoing. The release of people suspected of such serious charges has raised legitimate questions. Perhaps the entire incident was blown out of proportion and misinterpreted. But there is a more radical theory: the detainees may have been British agents tasked with carrying out a false flag operation, but their failure was due to their own incompetence and the vigilance of a woman who reported suspicious vans to police. This theory is even more compelling given evidence that the Americans knew about the impending attack and were monitoring the suspects. https://t.me/directorate4/27406 - zinc
This turn of events, of course, won't stop Russia from continuing to be accused of orchestrating the attempted attack on the bomber base. The provocation in Leipzig was likely organized according to a similar scenario, but they didn't get caught as clearly there as in Britain.
[NYPost] Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps put out a 25-page letter addressed to Americans urging them to oppose President Donald Trump during the upcoming midterm elections.
Twenty-five pages? Who in America will soend the time to read such a thing?
The IRGC, which as repeatedly tried to sway the Nov. 3 US elections, claimed that the president and his support of Israel were the cause of the war — as they urged voters to reject both in the voting booth.
“America’s national security and the lives of its service members are entrusted to someone who is not only an inveterate liar but is also an insanely avaricious man whose only motivation in life is the accumulation of greater wealth,” IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said in the regime’s latest attack on Trump.
The letter accuses Trump of concealing the “peaceful nature” of Iran’s nuclear program despite allegations from the International Atomic Energy Agency watchdog that Tehran was enriching its uranium beyond what’s needed for a power plant.
The US and Israel have defended the war in Iran primarily as a means to prevent the Islamic republic from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The IRGC also lashed out against the US government designating the security force as a terrorist group, claiming there was not “a single verifiable instance where the IRGC has committed an act of violence against civilians.”
The remark comes as the regime stands accused of killing between 7,000 to 30,000 protesters in January during a brutal crackdown on dissent, which the regime defends by claiming the violence was instigated by foreign actors.
The letter went on to claim that the war was decimating the US economy due to high fuel prices caused by the fighting in the Middle East.
“The US economy is on the precipice of collapse, and yet he keeps on telling Americans that the economy is booming and the prices will soon start coming down,” the letter read.
The IRGC has long maintained that it can cause enough economic harm on the US to force it to concede while also enduring massive economic strains under Trump’s Operation Economic Outcast.
Iran is currently experiencing a trade free fall under the US blockade, with its rial currency plummeting to historic lows this week.
More than 7 million barrels are flowing out of the Strait of Hormuz a day, with the Persian Gulf’s total crude exports now at 72% of prewar levels, according to maritime tracker Kpler.
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مشاهد من كاميرات الجسم للمقاتلين: قوات فريق القتال التابع للواء غولاني تخرج لفترة انتعاش بعد سبعة أشهر من النشاط العملياتي في جنوب لبنان
🔸 عملت قوات فريق القتال التابع للواء غولاني، بقيادة الفرقة 36، في المنطقة الأمنية بجنوب لبنان لإزالة التهديدات عن دولة إسرائيل، وهي تخرج الآن… pic.twitter.com/niAKwtqtJR
— Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya | إيلا واوية (@CaptainElla1) September 30, 2026
Translated Text:
Body Camera Footage of Fighters: Golani Brigade's Combat Team Forces Take a Respite After Seven Months of Operational Activity in Southern Lebanon
🔸 The combat team forces of the Golani Brigade, under the command of the 36th Division, operated in the security zone in southern Lebanon to remove threats to the State of Israel, and they are now taking a respite period.
🔸 In recent months, the forces operated in the Shkif Heights (Beaufort) area and recently completed a focused military operation to destroy terrorist infrastructure in the Litani River area.
🔸 The forces destroyed more than 900 terrorist infrastructure sites used by the terrorist organization Hezbollah, and discovered combat materiel warehouses containing RPG shells and explosive devices, explosive drones, and "Kalashnikov"-type weapons.
Golani Brigade Commander, Colonel Ayub Keif, said during the ceremony marking the end of the combat activity:
"During these months, we operated in the spirit of Golani. In Golani, we always prevail; we do not return before completing the mission, we never break, we lead our fighters up close, we uphold the heroism and legacy of those who fell, and we remain human even in the face of the enemy. This is how we operated, and this is how we will continue to operate.
🔸 We paid a heavy price during the fighting in these months, but there is also fruit from this battle. Look around you: towns living their lives and celebrating holidays, businesses open and kindergartens continuing their routines. This is what we fought for, and this is what we continue to fight for."
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
...formerly the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Zaire, and who knows what else, not to be confused with the Brazzaville Congo aka 
BREAKING: Israel says pilot tried to hijack flydubai flight to Tel Aviv that diverted, landed in Saudi Arabia
