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UAE Begins Withdrawal from Bosaso Military Base Following Rift with Somalia

Posted on: 2026-01-13 13:05:27

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BOSASO - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has begun an immediate withdrawal of its military presence from Bosaso, the commercial hub of Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland State, following the termination of its defence agreement with the Federal Government of Somalia.

Multiple sources indicate that an average of six heavy cargo aircraft, identified as IL-76 planes, have been departing Bosaso Airport daily, transporting military hardware and Emirati personnel. The operation suggests a rapid and coordinated evacuation of the UAE’s longstanding military base in the port city.

The withdrawal comes amid growing diplomatic tensions between Mogadishu and Abu Dhabi. Somali authorities have accused the UAE of breaching bilateral agreements by allegedly facilitating the covert evacuation of a Yemeni separatist leader wanted by Saudi Arabia. Additional allegations claim that the Bosaso port was used as a logistical hub to transfer weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusations the UAE has not publicly addressed.

The development is expected to have broader regional implications, particularly in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa, where competition for strategic influence has intensified. Analysts view the episode as another flashpoint in the evolving rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, whose interests have increasingly diverged across the region.

Bosaso has served as a critical node in Gulf states’ security and commercial engagements in East Africa, making the UAE’s abrupt exit a significant shift in regional military dynamics.