United Arab Emirates (UAE) drones reportedly carried out an airstrike in the Al-Madow mountains of Puntland—an area where Al-Shabaab fighters are present—local officials told the AFP news agency.
The strike took place in the Galgala mountain pass within the Al-Madow range. According to officials, the attack targeted four fighters accused of planting landmines on roads used by security forces. Two of the fighters were reportedly wounded in the strike.
Officials stated that Puntland special forces subsequently entered the area and killed the two fighters who had been wounded in the airstrike.
The officials also informed AFP that UAE aircraft conducted reconnaissance flights on Monday and Tuesday, following an incident in which Al-Shabaab targeted Puntland security forces with a landmine explosion. The aircraft reportedly departed from the Bosaso airport, where the UAE maintains a military base.
According to AFP, this marks the first such operation carried out by the UAE in Somalia since November 2025. Officials added that Puntland might announce a new offensive against Al-Shabaab in the coming days.
Although Al-Shabaab’s presence in Puntland is less extensive than in southern and central Somalia, the group has maintained bases for years in the Al-Madow mountains, where security forces are conducting operations against the militants.
The United Arab Emirates is among the foreign nations supporting the fight against Al-Shabaab; however, its relationship with the Federal Government of Somalia has deteriorated due to disagreements regarding the UAE’s support for regional political entities—specifically Somaliland, which declared its independence in 1991 but has not received widespread international recognition.