Nairobi, April 23 -- Somalia says Turkey will begin drilling oil off the Horn of African country's massive coastline from next year, according to the Director General of the Somali Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mohamed Hashi Abdi 'Arabey'.

Talking to the BBC Somali Service, Abdi affirmed the recent assertion by a Turkish official on a plan for deep-sea oil drilling operation from early 2025.

"It is correct, and it is part of the agreement we reached (with Turkey). They will begin seismic works and drilling at the coasts facing Barawe and Hobbio districts," Abdi, agreeing with information released by Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar last week.

Barawe is about 200 km south of Mogadishu whi...