Mogadishu (Kaab TV) — The United Arab Emirates has begun withdrawing its equipment and supplies from Somalia, with three cargo aircraft carrying UAE government materials departing Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport on Thursday, according to sources familiar with the operation.
Government and aviation officials told Hiiraan Online that the flights mark the initial phase of a broader pullout of UAE equipment from the capital, following Somalia’s decision earlier this week to cancel security and defense agreements linked to the Emirates.
Two additional aircraft are expected to arrive in Mogadishu on Friday to complete the removal, the sources said.
Officials briefed on the process said the withdrawal followed disputes between Somali and Emirati authorities over procedures, including documentation and authorization requirements.
UAE officials initially resisted directives from the Somali government, the sources said, but later complied by submitting flight manifests and other required paperwork before clearance was granted.
The drawdown comes days after Somalia’s federal Cabinet voted to annul all security, defense, and cooperative agreements connected to the ports of Berbera, Bosaso, and Kismayo, citing what it described as serious violations of Somalia’s sovereignty, national unity, and political independence.
The decision followed an investigation by Somalia’s Immigration and Citizenship Agency into the alleged unauthorized use of Somali airspace and territory related to the movements of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council, a UAE-backed separatist group.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen has accused al-Zubaidi of defying orders to travel to Riyadh for talks and instead mobilizing forces toward Al-Dhale in southwestern Yemen.
Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki later alleged that al-Zubaidi fled the southern Yemeni city of Aden by sea before leaving the region by air, with Abu Dhabi facilitating his transit through Somali territory.
According to al-Maliki, al-Zubaidi boarded a flight accompanied by aides “under the supervision of UAE officers.” The Southern Transitional Council has denied the allegation, insisting its leader remains in Aden.
Strains in relations are also unfolding amid a broader diplomatic context. Last month, Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent state—a move Somalia strongly rejected.
Reports citing Israeli officials said the recognition was facilitated by Abu Dhabi, further heightening tensions between Mogadishu and the UAE.
The Emirates has long maintained close economic and security ties with Somaliland, including a $442 million investment by Dubai-based logistics firm DP World to develop and operate the Port of Berbera.
Somalia’s federal government considers Somaliland part of its internationally recognized territory and has repeatedly opposed foreign agreements concluded without its consent.
The visible withdrawal of UAE equipment from Mogadishu underscores a sharp escalation in tensions between the two governments and signals a possible recalibration of the Emirates’ on-the-ground presence in federal Somalia, even as its influence remains strong within regional administrations.
Somali officials say the government remains open to international cooperation, but only under arrangements that fully respect Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and constitutional authority—a stance now being tested as one of Mogadishu’s most influential foreign partners scales back its presence.