MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Puntland President Saeed Abdullahi Deni has made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates, days after reports surfaced linking the Somali regional administration to alleged UAE weapons transfers destined for the conflict in Sudan.
Deni departed Garowe on Thursday, traveling first to Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight before continuing on to the UAE. He was accompanied by members of his family but no Puntland government officials, consistent with his pattern of undertaking private overseas trips to the Gulf nation.
The visit comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over alleged Emirati operations in Puntland. Media reports in recent days have claimed that UAE cargo aircraft have been using Bosaso Airport to transport weapons and personnel to Sudan in support of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been accused of committing widespread atrocities in the ongoing war against Sudan’s army.
Somalia’s federal government has acknowledged that Emirati planes have been flying from Bosaso but has not confirmed whether they were carrying arms or mercenaries.
Deni’s arrival in Abu Dhabi coincides with visits by the leaders of Chad and South Sudan, two other countries accused of facilitating UAE logistics linked to the Sudan conflict. Regional analysts say the timing raises questions about coordinated discussions between Abu Dhabi and African allies who have reportedly allowed their airfields to serve as staging points for weapons shipments to the RSF.
The purpose of Deni’s visit has not been officially disclosed, and Puntland authorities have remained silent on the matter. The UAE has not issued a statement regarding the reports or the nature of the meetings.
The allegations come amid growing international concern over external involvement in Sudan’s devastating civil war, now entering its second year.
Deni’s unannounced trip underscores the UAE’s continuing influence across the Horn of Africa, where Gulf rivalries and the Sudan conflict have increasingly intersected with fragile local politics.
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