UAE Military Planes Secretly Use Bosaso Airport Despite Somalia Ban

Abdiasis Farah Said

Bosaso, Somalia — Military cargo aircraft linked to the United Arab Emirates have reportedly continued using Bosaso Airport in Somalia’s Puntland region despite a ban imposed by the federal government in Somalia, according to sources who spoke to Brown Land News.Sources close to Brown Land News said that early this morning at around 4:00 a.m., a UAE military cargo plane departed from Bosaso Airport after landing earlier during the night. The aircraft allegedly arrived and departed in a way designed to avoid attracting attention from residents of the coastal city of Bosaso.According to the sources, the aircraft approached the airport quietly and left the area without flying directly over the city, a maneuver believed to be intended to prevent the public from noticing the plane’s arrival or departure.Bosaso Airport, located in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, has long been considered strategically important for logistics operations across the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. The sources claim that the UAE continues to use the airport as part of its military supply network linked to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.The supplies are allegedly destined for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), one of the main parties involved in the Sudanese conflict. The RSF has been locked in a brutal war with the Sudanese Armed Forces since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict (2023–present).The federal government of Somalia previously banned UAE military activities from operating through Somali airports and ports. However, it remains unclear why authorities in Mogadishu have not taken stronger action to prevent the alleged use of Bosaso Airport.Analysts say the continued use of the airport could raise regional security concerns, particularly given the proximity of the Red Sea shipping lanes and the wider instability caused by the war in Sudan.Regional powers including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan and Turkey may need to closely monitor the situation, as allegations persist that Bosaso is being used as a logistical route for supplying the RSF.