A U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) statement confirmed on Friday that an American MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone crashed on Tuesday near Farsooley, Somalia, in an area controlled by Al-Shabaab. Initial reports in Somali media had incorrectly identified the aircraft as Turkish, allegedly due to misinformation circulated to target Türkiye’s reputation amid its close defense cooperation with Somalia.
The U.S. Africa Command clarified that the downed drone was indeed American, dispelling claims made earlier in local Somali media that the aircraft belonged to Türkiye. This initial misidentification is thought to be part of a broader campaign to misrepresent Türkiye’s involvement in Somalia, where it has become a crucial ally in anti-terrorism efforts. Somali and Turkish sources suggest that some actors may be working to harm Türkiye’s reputation in the region by falsely associating such incidents with Turkish forces, despite Türkiye’s commitment to precision in its operations.
The American-operated MQ-1C Gray Eagle, a high-tech unmanned aircraft armed with Hellfire missiles, went down on November 5 at 12:40 p.m. local time. AFRICOM believes the crash was due to a technical failure, not enemy fire. The U.S. military has faced criticism in Somalia for incidents where civilian areas were accidentally hit by drones, which some sources claim have occasionally been attributed to Turkish drones in misinformation efforts.
Reports suggest that, while U.S. and Turkish forces both conduct operations in Somalia, Turkish drones prioritize avoiding civilian areas. However, errors from American operations have sometimes led to civilian casualties, which are then used in narratives blaming Turkish forces. This recent misinformation reached millions of Somalis, amplifying false reports. Somali citizens, generally aware of these tactics, often dismiss such claims, attributing these incidents to U.S. actions rather than Türkiye’s.
The MQ-1C Gray Eagle, produced by General Atomics, has been active since 2009 and serves multi-purpose roles, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeted strikes. With an endurance of up to 25 hours and a maximum altitude of 29,000 feet, it provides critical intelligence and precision attack capabilities for the U.S. military in conflict zones.
Turkey-Somalia defense cooperation has expanded recently, a development that has reportedly unsettled various international actors. As the investigation continues, AFRICOM has pledged to release additional information on the technical failure that caused the crash.