The United Arab Emirates has carried out an airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab militants in Puntland’s Galgala mountains, security officials said, in the first reported Emirati strike in northern Somalia since November 2025.
MOGADISHU (Somali Report) — The United Arab Emirates carried out an airstrike against Al-Shabaab militants in the Galgala mountain pass in Somalia's Puntland regional state, security officials said, in the first reported Emirati strike in northern Somalia since November 2025.
Two local officials told Somali Report that Emirati drones conducted surveillance over the area on Monday and Tuesday after an explosive device targeted Puntland security forces.
The drones took off from Bosaso airport, where the UAE maintains a military base, the officials said.
The strike targeted four Al-Shabaab fighters who were planting a roadside explosive device, according to the officials. Two were wounded and later killed by local forces who arrived at the scene, they added.
There was no immediate comment from the UAE. Early this month, the UAE fighter jets carried out airstrikes in Puntland state of Somalia that killed family members as reported by Somali Report.
Al-Shabaab, an Islamist militant group linked to Al-Qaeda, has maintained a presence in Puntland's Cal Miskaad and Cal Madow mountain ranges for years. However, its influence in northern Somalia is more limited than in the country's south and centre, where the group has carried out repeated attacks against security forces and civilians.
The officials also said Puntland authorities were expected to announce a new offensive against Al-Shabaab in the coming days.
The latest strike comes amid renewed scrutiny of previous Emirati military operations in Puntland following an investigation published on October 11 by Drop Site News.
The report said a UAE strike in the Cal Miskaad mountains on January 26, 2025, killed four members of the same family, including three children, and wounded five other people.
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The investigation was based on interviews with survivors and four unnamed Puntland officials. The circumstances of the attack could not be independently verified, the report said.
Khadra Abdi Ismail, 38, told Drop Site News that her family had been preparing dinner when she left their home to visit a neighbour. Shortly afterwards, she heard an approaching aircraft, followed by a powerful explosion that struck the family home.
The attack killed her elder sister, Laadan Abdi Ismail, and her 13-year-old nephew, Abd Samad Yusuf Mahmoud. Mohamed Abdiqani Mohamed, seven, and Hawa Ahmed Salah, 17, who was four months pregnant, were also killed.
Hawa had been holding her eight-month-old baby when the strike occurred. The child survived, according to the report.
The UAE has been among the foreign countries involved in efforts to combat Al-Shabaab in Somalia, but its relationship with the federal government in Mogadishu has deteriorated amid political disagreements and disputes over Emirati ties with Somali regional administrations, particularly Somaliland.
In January 2026, Somalia's federal government annulled its agreements with the UAE covering security, defence and the management of strategic ports, accusing Abu Dhabi of violating the country's sovereignty and unity.
Puntland rejected the decision, arguing that the federal government could not unilaterally cancel agreements affecting the region without consulting its administration.
The latest reported airstrike highlights the continued security cooperation between the UAE and Puntland despite the diplomatic rift between Abu Dhabi and Mogadishu.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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