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US and UAE Carry Out Strikes in Puntland Amid Base Expansion and Escalating Somalia Air War

Reviewed by James Caldwell · 5 min read
US and UAE Carry Out Strikes in Puntland Amid Base Expansion and Escalating Somalia Air War
Omar Abdulkadir · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
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The United States and the United Arab Emirates conducted separate airstrikes against al-Shabaab militants in northern Somalia's Puntland region on October 19 and October 20, 2026. The strikes targeted positions in the Cal Madow Mountains near the Gulf of Aden port city of Bosaso, coinciding with ground fighting between local Puntland forces and militants. United States Africa Command confirmed its forces launched a strike on October 19 approximately 22 miles south of Bosaso, while an Emirati drone taking off from Bosaso airport struck four militants in the Galgala pass the following day, marking the UAE's first known air operation in Somalia in nearly a year.

The operations highlight Bosaso's growing prominence as a military hub. In August 2026, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni signed an agreement with a United States military delegation led by Special Operations Commander Major General Claude K. Tudor Jr. to expand American operations at the Bosaso facility. The base was originally financed and operated for a decade by the UAE, which used it to train the 2,000-strong Puntland Maritime Police Force and support regional operations before Mogadishu ordered Emirati forces out in January 2026 over sovereignty disputes. The recent Emirati drone deployment indicates that Abu Dhabi has retained operational access despite the central government's eviction directive.

The strikes also reflect a sharp escalation in United States air operations under the Trump administration, facilitated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delegating strike authorities directly to operational commanders. The October 19 mission was at least the 88th American airstrike recorded in Somalia in 2026, following a record 124 strikes in 2025. While AFRICOM routine announcements no longer detail militant casualty figures or civilian harm assessments, local sources reported that the UAE strike wounded two militants who were subsequently killed alongside two others by advancing Puntland troops.

The twin interventions have intensified political tensions between Somalia's Federal Government in Mogadishu and the semiautonomous Puntland administration, which withdrew from the federal system in March 2024. While Mogadishu previously enacted legislation invalidating regional foreign security pacts, the United States has continued direct operational engagements with regional administrations to combat al-Shabaab and Islamic State militants and safeguard shipping lanes near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Key Developments

  • US Africa Command launched an airstrike on October 19, 2026, targeting al-Shabaab in the Cal Madow Mountains south of Bosaso.
  • The UAE carried out its first known Somali airstrike in nearly a year on October 20, 2026, hitting militants planting roadside bombs in the Galgala pass.
  • The Emirati drone was launched from the Bosaso airport base, demonstrating ongoing UAE operations despite Mogadishu's January 2026 expulsion order.
  • The strikes follow an August 2026 security agreement between Puntland and AFRICOM allowing the United States to expand the Bosaso base.
  • US airstrikes in Somalia have accelerated sharply under loosened operational rules, with at least 88 strikes recorded in 2026 following 124 in 2025.
  • Washington's direct engagement with Puntland reinforces a two-track policy operating independently of Somalia's Federal Government.
  • Survivors and monitor groups continue to report unaddressed civilian casualties and mass displacement from stepped-up air operations in southern and northern Somalia.

Background

The United States air campaign in Somalia began in 2007 against al-Qaeda elements and has evolved into an expansive operation targeting both al-Shabaab and an Islamic State affiliate concentrated in northern Somalia's Bari region. Historically, most American strikes concentrated on al-Shabaab strongholds in central and southern Somalia. However, operational tempo reached unprecedented levels after the Trump administration restored strike authorization authorities to military field commanders, yielding 124 airstrikes in 2025 and at least 88 strikes by October 2026.

Puntland has increasingly emerged as a separate strategic theater. The regional government severed recognition of Somalia's federal institutions in March 2024 following constitutional revisions passed in Mogadishu, sparking sporadic fighting between regional forces and federal troops. The UAE previously served as Puntland's principal external military backer, establishing the base and port facilities at Bosaso in 2010 to house and train the Puntland Maritime Police Force.

Emirati relations with Mogadishu disintegrated in January 2026 when the federal government formally terminated security agreements with Abu Dhabi over sovereignty infringements. In August 2026, the United States moved into the vacuum, negotiating directly with Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni to expand American access to Bosaso. The base provides strategic positioning near the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea amid heightened regional naval tensions.

Timeline

  1. Puntland withdraws recognition of Somalia's federal government over disputed constitutional revisions.

  2. Puntland forces launch Operation Hilaac against Islamic State militants in the Al-Miskad Mountains.

  3. United States air operations around Jamaame inflict documented civilian casualties and displace thousands.

  4. Somalia's federal government cancels all security and port agreements with the United Arab Emirates.

  5. An Emirati vessel arrives in Bosaso to begin withdrawing military materiel and personnel.

  6. Puntland signs a security pact with AFRICOM to expand the American military presence at Bosaso.

  7. US Africa Command carries out its 88th airstrike of 2026 in the Cal Madow Mountains south of Bosaso.

  8. An Emirati drone launched from Bosaso airport strikes al-Shabaab bomb-planters in the Galgala pass.

Perspectives

US Africa Command

Views expanded access to Bosaso and flexible strike authorities as vital for countering al-Shabaab, neutralizing Islamic State elements, and protecting maritime trade corridors.

Somali Federal Government

Opposes unilateral foreign military agreements with breakaway or semiautonomous regions as violations of national sovereignty, attempting to bar unauthorized regional deals.

Puntland Administration

Welcomes United States and Emirati military backing to defeat regional insurgent groups while asserting self-governance outside Mogadishu's federal framework.

United Arab Emirates

Maintains an active security footprint in Puntland to defend maritime investments and support counterterrorism, operating through existing base infrastructure.

Civilian Survivors and Rights Advocates

Argue that rapid escalation in airstrikes inflicts severe unacknowledged civilian casualties, bodily trauma, and displacement without adequate accountability or compensation.

Quotes

“During the era of President Trump, it is bigger and much easier than before.”

— Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations regarding increased American military support.

“The aircraft never leave us, night or day, and we have become accustomed to them.”

— Maryam Haji Abdi Guled, Describing life under continuous aerial bombardment following strikes near Jamaame.

“In fact, the medical care that is needed may not even be available because the very same strikes that caused the injuries could have damaged the infrastructure needed.”

— Anna Zahn, Explaining the prolonged humanitarian and infrastructural consequences of airstrikes in Somalia.

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