The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has carried out its first reported drone strike against Al-shabab militants in northern Somalia in nearly a year, targeting insurgents in Puntland amid heightened political tensions between the regional administration and the federal government.
Security officials told AFP on Wednesday that the strike took place on Tuesday at the Galgala mountain pass, where the militant group maintains a presence in the Al-Madow mountain range. The attack was the first reported Emirati strike since November 2025.
According to AFP, two local officials said UAE drones conducted reconnaissance missions on Monday and Tuesday after an explosive device planted by Al-Shabaab targeted Puntland forces. The drones, launched from Bosaso airport, where the UAE maintains a military base, targeted four militants allegedly planting roadside bombs, wounding two of them.
Local paramilitary forces subsequently moved in and killed the two wounded militants, the officials said. Puntland is expected to announce a new offensive against Al-Shabaab in the coming days, they added.
Somalia has battled the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgency for nearly two decades. Although the group maintains a significantly smaller presence in Puntland than in south-central Somalia, it has operated from the Al-Madow mountains for years.
The UAE is among several foreign countries involved in efforts to combat the insurgency. However, its relations with Somalia’s federal government have deteriorated over Abu Dhabi’s support for regional opposition groups, particularly in Somaliland, the self-declared independent region.
The strike comes amid mounting political tensions in Somalia, as some regional administrations reject the federal government’s plans for national elections scheduled for 2027. Mogadishu has not commented on the reported attack.
Uncertainty has also emerged over the future of international support for operations against Al-Shabaab after the United States announced plans to end funding for a key United Nations logistics operation at the end of 2026.
source:AS
