Hiiraan Online

Mogadishu (HOL) — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has constructed and expanded a ring of military and intelligence bases spanning the Somali coast and the Gulf of Aden, consolidating its power along one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors while placing renewed strain on Somalia’s sovereignty.

Satellite imagery analyzed by Middle East Eye shows that Abu Dhabi, working in coordination with Israel and the United States, has developed or upgraded bases from Yemen’s Socotra archipelago to the Somali ports of Bosaso and Berbera. These installations form a connected network of surveillance, radar, and logistics hubs designed to monitor shipping routes, Houthi activity, and regional rival movements, particularly Iran-aligned factions.

The UAE’s footprint in Puntland and Somaliland, both autonomous regions within Somalia, was established without authorization from the federal government in Mogadishu, reigniting tensions with the federal government, which maintains that foreign defence agreements fall exclusively under Mogadishu’s jurisdiction. Yet Abu Dhabi has forged direct agreements with regional leaders, bypassing Mogadishu and deepening political rifts already straining the federal system.

In Somaliland, a similar pattern has emerged. The UAE’s Berbera Air Base, first announced in 2017, was built around an existing Soviet-era runway, one of Africa’s longest at nearly four kilometres, which Abu Dhabi has since renovated and upgraded to accommodate heavy transport and combat aircraft. Hargeisa quietly expanded the naval base in early 2025, incorporating a modern dock and logistics yard that complement DP World’s adjacent commercial port. The Emirati presence has effectively bypassed Mogadishu’s authority, mirroring Somaliland’s own pursuit of international recognition.

Security analysts say the bases, part of a UAE–Israel defence alignment, provide overlapping early-warning radars and intelligence feeds. The facilities also give Abu Dhabi logistical reach into nearby conflicts, including Sudan and Yemen, where its allies operate.


Satellite imagery of Bosaso Air Base in Puntland reveals extensive Emirati-built infrastructure, including radar systems, ammunition depots, a field hospital, and a dual-use runway serving both civilian and military aircraft. The UAE’s management of the site has fueled sovereignty concerns in Mogadishu over foreign-backed operations in federal territories. (Source: Google Earth via Middle East Eye)

In Bosaso, updated satellite images show rapid construction of fortified hangars, ammunition depots, radar towers, and logistics yards adjoining the international airport. The site overlaps with the Puntland Maritime Police Force, a UAE-trained unit criticized by the United Nations for bypassing federal command structures.

In April 2025, OSINT analysts identified what appeared to be an Israeli-made radar system at a UAE-run facility in Bosaso, part of the Iron Dome family used for missile interception. Google Earth imagery confirmed rapid construction of fortified hangars, radar towers, drone pads, and ammunition depots at the site throughout 2024.

This Emirati influence has drawn international scrutiny. A Reuters investigation in May 2025 detailed Sudan’s accusation that the UAE armed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) via routes through Chad and Somalia. While Abu Dhabi denied the claims, U.N. investigators later described reports of Emirati patronage as ‘credible.’ Weeks later, Sudan lodged a case before the International Court of Justice, alleging Emirati complicity in RSF atrocities. The ICJ later dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction.”

Reporting from late 2024 showed that Bosaso’s runway has been used by large IL-76 transport aircraft, capable of hauling weapons and equipment, fueling suspicion of clandestine transfers linked to Sudan’s conflict.

Further west, Berbera has evolved beyond a single airstrip into a dual-use hub where Emirati military facilities sit alongside DP World’s commercial port and a planned railway to Ethiopia.

Satellite imagery shows the UAE-operated Berbera Military Base along Somaliland’s coast, featuring a 4,260-meter runway, deep-water port, and adjoining military air facility. The site, developed in partnership with local authorities, has been renovated to accommodate heavy transport aircraft and naval operations, underscoring Abu Dhabi’s strategic foothold in the Gulf of Aden. (Source: Google Earth via Middle East Eye) 

Across the Gulf, satellite imagery captured Emirati-run construction on Abd al-Kuri and Samhah, two islands in the Socotra archipelago featuring new runways and support facilities. The islands sit at a critical juncture between the Arabian Sea and Bab al-Mandab, allowing Abu Dhabi and its allies to track maritime traffic and missile launches. The Emirati presence, nominally described as humanitarian, has intensified since 2023 as the UAE and Israel expanded defence cooperation under the Abraham Accords.

Farther west at Mayun (Perim), a volcanic island at the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the UAE operates an airbase overlooking a chokepoint for global energy trade. Satellite imagery shows resurfaced runways and hangars large enough for drones and reconnaissance aircraft.

Beyond infrastructure and intelligence-sharing, Abu Dhabi appears intent on expanding its human footprint across the region. In 2024, reports surfaced that the UAE was planning to establish an “Emirati Foreign Legion”, a proposed 3,000-strong expeditionary force drawn from foreign recruits and reportedly earmarked for future deployment in Yemen and Somalia, according to Intelligence Online. It was reported that recruitment was said to be overseen by an Abu Dhabi-based defence contractor promising lucrative packages to foreign veterans.

Security analysts say the UAE’s growing presence reflects its strategy to shape outcomes in fractured states. Jalel Harchaoui, a North Africa specialist, said the Emirates exploit “Because countries like Ethiopia, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan are increasingly misgoverned, the UAE can exert a level of sway that would be impossible in a unified system.”