Thursday April 24, 2025
By Ragip Soylu in Ankara
Puntland's President Said Abdullahi Deni turns Bosaso airport over to the United Arab Emirates without parliamentary approval
A satellite image taken near Puntland's Bosaso airport on 5 March shows an Israeli-made ELM-2084 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array Multi-Mission Radar supplied by the UAE (Google Earth)
The United Arab Emirates deployed a military radar in Somalia’s Puntland earlier this year to defend Bosaso airport against potential Houthi attacks from Yemen, sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
Satellite imagery from early March reveals that the Israeli-made ELM-2084 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array Multi-Mission Radar was installed near the airport.
Publicly available air traffic data indicates that the UAE is increasingly using Bosaso airport to supply the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan.
The RSF has been engaged in a war with the Sudanese military for two years.
Earlier this year, the Sudanese government filed a lawsuit against the UAE at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide due to its links with the RSF. The UAE denies it backs the RSF militarily.
“The UAE installed the radar shortly after the RSF lost control of most of Khartoum in early March,” a regional source told MEE.
“The radar’s purpose is to detect and provide early warning against drone or missile threats, particularly those potentially launched by the Houthis, targeting Bosaso from outside.”
'This is a secret deal, and even the highest levels of Puntland’s government, including the cabinet, are unaware of it'
- Somali source
Another regional source said the radar was deployed at the airport late last year. MEE was unable to independently verify this claim.
The second source said that the UAE has been using Bosaso airport daily to support the RSF, with large cargo planes regularly arriving to load weapons and ammunition - sometimes up to five major shipments at a time.
MEE has asked the UAE’s foreign ministry for comment.
When contacted about the allegations, Abdifatah Abdinur, state minister of the presidency for Puntland, declined to comment on the issue and instead sent memes mocking Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Longstanding relations
Two separate Somali sources claimed that Puntland’s President Said Abdullahi Deni did not seek approval from Somalia’s federal government or the Puntland parliament for this arrangement. Puntland is a de facto independent state widely considered an autonomous territory of Somalia.
“This is a secret deal, and even the highest levels of Puntland’s government, including the cabinet, are unaware of it,” said one Somali source with direct knowledge of the matter.
“The silence of the Somali national government on this issue is incomprehensible.”
The source also highlighted reports that Colombian soldiers had been brought to Bosaso airport to be redeployed to Sudan, though it was unclear who issued their visas, as Mogadishu was not involved in the arrangement.
A satellite image from 5 March shows a military cargo plane at Puntland's Bosaso airport (Google Earth)
The UAE has longstanding ties with Somalia’s government, having provided financial aid and trained Somali soldiers to combat armed groups such as al-Shabab for years.
Since 2009, the UAE has also been particularly active in Puntland, which is geographically close to the Emirates and Yemen. The UAE has trained forces in Puntland to combat piracy.
How Abu Dhabi built an axis of secessionists across the region
Deni is widely seen as being closely aligned with the UAE, largely due to financial assistance that could bolster his political ambitions.
One Somali source suggested Deni’s alignment with the UAE is partly motivated by his desire to secure support for Somalia’s presidential elections.
“There are presidential elections in 2026, and he will need every bit of support to win the national vote,” the source said, speaking anonymously to avoid repercussions in the region.
Salim Said Salim, a regional expert and executive director at Sidra Institute based in Puntland, noted that despite reports on social media and satellite images, neither Deni nor his administration has commented on the radar’s presence.
“This silence suggests the claims are true,” Salim said, adding that he was not surprised by the development given Deni’s longstanding ties to the UAE.
Sidra said Mogadishu is likely to have chosen not to antagonise the UAE, opting instead for silence regarding the Emirates’ military activities in Puntland.
“Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud relies on the UAE support to combat al-Shabab and pursue peace in the country,” Sidra said. “It makes sense for these issues to be handled behind closed doors.”
'This silence suggests the claims are true'
- Salim Said Salim, Sidra Institute
Mohamud’s government has been under significant pressure recently, as al-Shabab has made substantial gains near Mogadishu. Additionally, opposition to his leadership has been growing due to the tribal nature of Somalia’s governance system.
Mohamud has proposed transitioning from a clan-based electoral system to universal suffrage. However, this proposal has faced resistance from some leading politicians, making it a contentious issue.
The UAE is also active in the breakaway state of Somaliland, making significant investments there as well, irritating Mogadishu.
Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Mo Fiqi said over the weekend that his government had submitted a letter to the UAE, urging it to stop giving Somaliland's President Abdirahman Cirro presidential protocols as if he is head of state.