Somalia drawn deeper into Gulf tensions as UAE pulls back forces amid diplomatic rifts, shifting alliances, and escalating rivalries affecting Horn politics
Somalia is increasingly feeling the effects of Gulf rivalries after the United Arab Emirates began reducing its military presence locally this year.
Somali officials and local media say Abu Dhabi started withdrawing troops and equipment after Mogadishu blocked UAE military flights from national airspace.
Reports claim the aircraft was carrying Aidarus al-Zubaidi, Yemen’s STC leader, who later skipped Saudi-backed unity talks held in Riyadh last month.
Mogadishu authorities say the ban was formally conveyed and Emirati forces began departing via Mogadishu and Puntland’s Bosaso airport and port facilities.
Security sources report multiple planes leaving Mogadishu, with others cleared to remove equipment from Bosaso, where the UAE maintained strategic footholds previously.
The withdrawals mark a sharp downturn in Somalia-UAE relations as Mogadishu aligns closer with Saudi Arabia on Yemen and regional security policy.
This position clashes with Abu Dhabi’s support for the STC, which seeks southern Yemeni independence and controls territory opposed by Riyadh firmly.
Tensions rose after Yemen’s government accused al-Zubaidi of treason following his absence from Riyadh talks aimed at unifying fractured leadership structures internally.
Analysts say the episode shows Middle Eastern power struggles increasingly shaping political and security dynamics across the Horn of Africa region today.
