ISTANBUL: Amidst growing pressure, the Turkish government finds itself in a diplomatic quandary following the involvement of Mohammed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the son of the Somali president, in a fatal traffic crash in Istanbul.
The incident occurred on a busy highway, resulting in the death of Yunus Emre Gocer, a 38-year-old motorcycle courier. The Turkish authorities subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Mohamud and restricted his travel, suspecting his involvement in the accident.
However, reports indicate that Mohamud had left Turkey before the arrest warrant was issued, intensifying public outcry and demands for accountability. In response to mounting criticism, Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, accused the government of being too weak to defend the rights of its citizens. He shared a security camera video of the crash on social media, further fueling public anger.
As the situation escalated, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc stated that “international procedures” had been initiated regarding the crash. The minister emphasized the equality of all individuals before the law, regardless of their title. Tunc also announced an investigation into police officers involved in the initial inquiry into the collision, examining allegations that they allowed Mohamud to leave the country freely.
The whereabouts of Mohamud remain unknown, and there has been no official statement from Somali authorities regarding the incident. A Somali diplomat in Turkey disclosed that the president’s son had transported the injured victim to a hospital after the crash and later traveled to Dubai. The diplomat noted that the car involved belongs to the Somali Embassy, and the president’s family holds diplomatic passports.
In Somalia, concerns are rising about the potential fallout from the incident on diplomatic relations between Turkey and Somalia. Some fear that failure to address the matter adequately could strain the relationship between the two nations and impact the Somali community in Turkey, as well as Somali businesses operating there.
Turkey and Somalia have maintained close ties since 2011, with Turkey providing significant humanitarian aid, infrastructure development, and military assistance. The incident involving the Somali president’s son adds a complex layer to this relationship, putting diplomatic and legal processes in the spotlight.
