Friday April 25, 2025
An Israeli-made ELM-2084 Multi-Mission Radar system is seen mounted on a mobile platform in an undisclosed desert location. The radar, developed by Israel’s ELTA Systems, is capable of tracking over 1,000 targets simultaneously and provides fire-control guidance for the Iron Dome and David’s Sling defense systems. Satellite imagery suggests a similar system may have been deployed near Bosaso, Somalia, under a suspected UAE military arrangement. (File Photo: ELTA Systems)
Mogadishu (HOL) — Puntland authorities have refused to comment on allegations that the United Arab Emirates installed Israeli-manufactured radar equipment in the port city of Bosaso, deepening concerns over clandestine security operations and escalating tensions with Somalia's federal government.
The controversy intensified after Middle East Eye and open-source intelligence analysts reported the presence of an Israeli-made ELM-2084 Multi-Mission Radar near Bosaso Airport, adjacent to the UAE-operated Bosaso Air Base. Satellite imagery dated March 5 captured a structure consistent with a mobile radar unit at coordinates 11°16'16.5 "N 49°06'28.3 "E, though independent verification remains pending.
When contacted about the allegations, Puntland's State Minister for the Presidency, Abdifatah Abdinuur, deflected questions by sending satirical images mocking Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, rather than issuing a formal response.
Sources familiar with the matter told HOL that Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni authorized the radar installation without consulting either Somalia's federal government or the Puntland Parliament. "This was a secret deal. Even senior cabinet officials were kept uninformed," said a source with direct knowledge of the arrangement.
The ELM-2084 radar, developed by Israel's ELTA Systems, can track over 1,000 aerial and ground targets at ranges up to 470 kilometres and serves as the core sensor for Israel's Iron Dome and David's Sling defence systems. Its deployment, if confirmed, would significantly extend surveillance capabilities over one of the world's busiest maritime corridors, raising the UAE's strategic footprint in the region.
Suspicions have been further fueled by reports that Colombian forces were routed through Bosaso airport for redeployment to Sudan without involvement or clearance from federal authorities. A satellite image dated March 5 captured a military aircraft parked at the airport, reinforcing concerns about undisclosed military activities linked to foreign powers.
Further fueling suspicions, public air traffic data and regional sources indicate the UAE may have used Bosaso Airport to supply weapons, ammunition and fighters — including Colombian mercenaries — to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of war crimes in the ongoing Sudanese conflict. Somali federal authorities were reportedly excluded from overseeing these operations.
Federal officials in Mogadishu have largely remained silent, wary of jeopardizing critical Emirati military and financial support used in the fight against Al-Shabaab. Earlier this month, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi confirmed that Mogadishu had formally protested the UAE's provision of presidential-style protocol to Somaliland leader Abdirahman Irro, a move seen as undermining Somalia's sovereignty.
The UAE's presence in Puntland has deep roots. Since 2017, Abu Dhabi has operated the Bosaso Air Base under a maritime security agreement, training Puntland forces to combat piracy. The Emirates' direct investments, including port deals through Dubai-based DP World, have often bypassed federal channels, exacerbating friction with Somalia's central government.
Locally, UAE operations have sparked protests among Bosaso's fishing communities, who accuse Emirati forces of restricting access to coastal waters. Analysts warn that the addition of a high-powered surveillance system could further inflame local grievances if perceived as prioritizing foreign strategic interests over Somali needs.
President Deni, long seen as an ally of Abu Dhabi, is believed to be seeking UAE backing for a potential run in Somalia's 2026 presidential election, according to regional sources.
Salim Said Salim, executive director of the SIDRA Institute in Puntland, said the Puntland administration's refusal to address the radar allegations lends credibility to concerns about unauthorized foreign military activities. "This silence suggests the claims are true," he said.