UAE deploys Israeli radar in Somalia’s Puntland region

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly deployed an Israeli radar system in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region under a secret agreement. The silence from both Mogadishu and the Puntland administration lends weight to these claims.

According to a report in Middle East Eye (MEE), Puntland’s President Said Abdullahi Deni handed over Bosaso Airport to the UAE without parliamentary approval. Sources familiar with the matter stated that the UAE deployed the radar earlier this year, citing the need to protect the airport from potential Houthi attacks originating from Yemen.

Satellite imagery obtained in early March shows an Israeli-made ELM-2084 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array Multi-Mission Radar positioned near Bosaso Airport. It is reported that the radar is being used for air defense purposes, specifically to detect potential drone or missile threats from Yemen.

Public flight data indicates that the UAE has been using Bosaso Airport to provide support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The RSF has been in conflict with the Sudanese army for two years. The Sudanese government had filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the UAE of providing military support to the RSF. The UAE denies these accusations.

Two separate sources who spoke to MEE on the matter stated that the radar was deployed late last year and that regular shipments were being made to the RSF. However, neither the Somali federal government nor Puntland officials have made any public statement regarding the radar deployment.

Puntland’s Minister of State, Abdifatah Abdinur, instead of answering questions, sent messages mocking President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Despite Puntland acting in a de facto independent manner, it is noted that the radar deployment in question did not receive approval from either the federal government or the Puntland parliament. It is alleged that Deni is preparing for the 2026 presidential elections with the political and financial support he receives from the UAE.

Salim Said Salim, President of the Puntland-based Sidra Institute, stated that the lack of an official statement about the radar, despite social media and satellite images, is noteworthy. Salim argued, “This silence confirms the accuracy of the claims,” and suggested that Mogadishu remains silent because it does not want to damage relations with the UAE.

The United Arab Emirates has been training the Somali army for years and providing support in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The UAE has increased its presence particularly in Puntland, which is geographically close to Yemen, and has also maintained a military presence in the region to combat piracy.

On the other hand, the UAE’s investments in the separatist Somaliland region and its treatment of the region’s president as a head of state are causing discomfort for the Mogadishu administration. Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Mo Fiqi announced that they had sent a letter to the UAE demanding an end to this practice.