Breaking News

Written by Abdiasis Farah Said

21 JanuaryA UAE military cargo aircraft departed from Bosaso International Airport this morning, local sources report, as part of a wider withdrawal of Emirati personnel and equipment from Somalia. The flight came on the same day that Abu Dhabi’s forces and related assets have been drawing down from Somali ports and bases. The movement follows a sharp diplomatic rift between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this month, Somalia’s federal government annulled all defence, security, and port agreements with the UAE, citing actions by Abu Dhabi that it said undermined Somali sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. The decision includes cancelling cooperation deals linked to the strategic ports of Berbera, Bosaso and Kismayo, and reflects growing tensions over foreign military and commercial activities inside Somalia. Somalia had also banned UAE military and cargo aircraft from its airspace, although exemptions were reportedly granted to allow withdrawal flights like today’s. The dispute has heightened regional dynamics, with some Somali regions rejecting Mogadishu’s annulment of UAE agreements and broader geopolitical rivalries shaping responses.