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Recent Appearances... Rantburg

Africa Horn
USS Truman Executed Largest-Ever Carrier Airstrike on ISIS in Somalia on Feb 1
2025-05-30
[X]
… from Carrier Air Wing 1 dropped around 125,000 pounds of precision-guided munitions on ISIS cave networks southeast of Bosaso.

Key ISIS figures, including recruiter Ahmed Maeleninine, were killed.
Related:
Ahmed Maeleninine 03/07/2025 U.S. pledges more support to Somalia's Puntland in ISIS war
Ahmed Maeleninine 03/05/2025 Somalia: Puntland forces seize ISIS headquarters in mountains

Ahmed Maeleninine 02/27/2025 Somalia: Puntland Forces Discover ISIS Leadership Bunker in Bold Strike Against Militant Stronghold

Link


Africa North
Egypt bitter as Sudan's RSF Hemedti seeks to host Gaza refugees
2025-05-29
[NEWARAB] Egypt is ringing alarm bells over a potential plan for the transfer of a sizeable number of Paleostinians from the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
Strip to areas controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan
...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans...
“Welcome to Sudan, gentlemen and camp followers. Just like the Irish who got off the boat in America during their civil war, you have a choice: fight with us or die. Your uniforms are over there, the tents for your families are ranged beyond. There is also a school and playground for the children, courtesy of America — it does not have any flaming hoops or tunnels. Again, welcome in brotherly solidarity!”
The concerns come against the background of a plan by US President Donald Trump
...The cad! Twice caught beating wimmin!...
to take over the coastal Paleostinian enclave, kick its people out and build it into a "Middle East Riviera".

They also come in the wake of media reports about United Arab Emirates-sponsored attempts by RSF commander Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, to curry favour with Trump's administration by proposing to take in some of the people of Gaza in areas controlled by his militia in Sudan.

Such a plan angers Cairo, which has been lobbying hard to foil the US president's plan.
”How dare those upstarts connive with that horrible Trump person to enable that uppity Jewish state to win against pious Muslims! Don’t they know that we were already civilized when they still painted themselves blue and danced around with bones through their noses?!”
"Egypt staunchly opposes the displacement of the people of Gaza because it is keen on protecting the rights of the Paleostinians to their land," Egyptian political researcher Mohammed Rabie al-Dehi remarked to The New Arab.
They’re no good as a weapon against the Jooooos once they’re scattered and working on survival and improving their lot.
"Hemedti's proposal to take in Gaza refugees makes it necessary for all Arab states to act to rescue Paleostinian statehood dreams," he added.

LITTLE INFLUENCE OVER RSF
There has been no confirmation of the aforementioned reports from either the US or the UAE. The RSF commander Hemedti has not spoken openly about such a plan either.

Nonetheless, Abu Dhabi maintains close relations with the paramilitary Sudanese group which has been locked in a war with the Sudanese army since mid-April 2023, one that has so far destroyed most of Sudan, caused the displacement of millions of Sudanese citizens, both inside and outside Sudan, and opened the door for the emergence of one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Close relations between the UAE and the RSF have turned the Sudanese army and Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, the ruling body in Sudan, against Abu Dhabi, with the council accusing the Gulf state of offering arms and financial support to its rival militia.

The Sudanese government has also filed a lawsuit against the UAE at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of complicity with the RSF in perpetrating genocide in Sudan.

Egypt's problem with a scenario where the RSF proposes to take in Gaza refugees in areas it controls in Sudan derives from the little influence it has over the Sudanese militia.

The RSF shares control over Sudanese cities with the Sudanese army. In recent weeks, the paramilitary group intensified its military campaign against the army, having apparently received a fresh supply of arms from its regional benefactors, especially unmanned aerial vehicles.

Now, the RSF controls large swaths of eastern Sudan, along with areas in the western part of the African country where allied militias prevail.

The intensification of the RSF campaign also came hard on the heels of significant victories by the Sudanese army, especially in Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Cairo has been a strong backer of the Sudanese army, a policy enshrined in Egypt's foreign policy doctrine which bans relations with non-state actors or militias.

This backing has caused relations between Cairo and the RSF to teeter on the edge of hostility, with the militia repeatedly accusing the Egyptian air force of striking its positions and killing its fighters.

"The RSF is a fascist
...anybody you disagree with, damn them...
militia that has suffered one defeat after another in the past period," Sudanese political analyst Amgad Farid told TNA.

"It works tooth and nail to prove its relevance by criticising and antagonising Egypt, a regional heavyweight whether it likes it or not," he added.
Related:
Rapid Support Forces: 2025-05-23 Sudan reports surge in cholera cases amid Khartoum water crisis
Rapid Support Forces: 2025-05-23 Sudanese army unearths mass graves in Omdurman, 465 victims found
Rapid Support Forces: 2025-05-23 U.S. to impose sanctions on Sudan over chemical weapons use
Related:
Hemedti 05/12/2025 Sudan Accuses Puntland of Facilitating Military Support to RSF via Bosaso Airport
Hemedti 03/25/2025 Chad warns could retaliate if Sudan attacks
Hemedti 02/24/2025 Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), announced a parallel government from Nairobi

Link


Africa Horn
Sudanese Armed Forces Completely Liberate Capital Province of Khartoum from RSF Rebels
2025-05-21
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The Sudanese armed forces have completely liberated the capital province of Khartoum from rebels from the Rapid Reaction Forces (RRF). This was reported by the Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansı.

"The Sudanese army announced the liberation of the capital province of Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Reaction Forces," the agency said in a statement.

As the agency writes, citing a statement by military spokesman Nabil Abdullah, the Sudanese Armed Forces continue to suppress the militia in the south and west of Omdurman and continue to clear the Salha region, south of Omdurman, and its environs.

As reported by Regnum News Agency, a turning point was noted in the civil war in Sudan at the end of March - after two years of trench warfare, government forces began to push back the rebel troops along the entire front line. The Sudanese authorities announced the complete liberation of the country's capital Khartoum from the rebel formations of the SRF and the return of several large military bases and arsenals under their control. In response, the rebels intensified fighting in the south and west of Sudan and announced the formation of a government in the captured territories.

The civil war in Sudan has been ongoing since 2023. During this time, more than 20,000 people have died, and more than 14 million have been displaced - with a total population of 50 million people.
Related:
Khartoum: 2025-05-20 Sudan demands explanation following aggressive Emirati treatment of consular staff in Dubai
Khartoum: 2025-05-12 Sudan Accuses Puntland of Facilitating Military Support to RSF via Bosaso Airport
Khartoum: 2025-04-09 Khartoum airport after liberation
Related:
Rapid Reaction Forces: 2024-10-22 The moment a cargo plane carrying Russians crashed in Sudan was caught on video
Rapid Reaction Forces: 2023-05-02 Russian Embassy in Khartoum evacuated more than 200 people from Sudan
Rapid Reaction Forces: 2023-04-24 Biden says US embassy evacuation in Sudan has been completed
Link


Africa Horn
U.S. AFRICOM Conducts Airstrike on ISIS Target in Somalia’s Puntland
2025-05-13
[ShabelleMedia] U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, launched an Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
targeting ISIS Death Eaters in Somalia on Monday, as part of efforts to disrupt the terrorist group’s operations.

The strike occurred about 70 kilometers southeast of Bosaso, in the Bari region of Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
State. The operation is ongoing, with assessments underway to determine the extent of the damage to the Death Eaters and finalize mission objectives.

The primary goal of the airstrike is to support the Puntland Security Forces in their campaign to eliminate ISIS Death Eaters from the region.

The Federal Government of Somalia reiterated its strong partnership with international allies, particularly the United States, in the fight against terrorism and efforts to bring peace and stability to Somalia and the surrounding area.
Related:
Bari region: 2025-05-08 Puntland Acquires Combat Aircraft for the First Time in Anti-Terror Campaign
Bari region: 2025-04-28 Fighting Erupts Among ISIS Militants in Somalia’s Bari Region
Bari region: 2025-04-26 ISIS Loses Ground in Puntland as Final Offensive Gains Momentum
Related:
Puntland: 2025-05-12 Sudan Accuses Puntland of Facilitating Military Support to RSF via Bosaso Airport
Puntland: 2025-05-10 UAE rejects Israeli request to bankroll Gaza aid initiative, arguing it fails to address crisis — official
Puntland: 2025-05-08 Puntland Acquires Combat Aircraft for the First Time in Anti-Terror Campaign
Link


Africa Horn
Sudan Accuses Puntland of Facilitating Military Support to RSF via Bosaso Airport
2025-05-12
[ShabelleMedia] Sudan
...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans...
’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially lodged a complaint with the Federal Government of Somalia, accusing Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
’s regional administration of using Bosaso Airport as a hub for transporting mercenaries and military supplies to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In a formal letter, Khartoum claims that the airport has become a strategic point for the movement of fighters and arms, allegedly supporting the RSF, a paramilitary group that has been engaged in a violent mostly peaceful conflict with Sudan’s national army since the collapse of the country’s power-sharing agreement in 2023.

Sudan’s government argues that these operations are being carried out covertly and accuses Puntland authorities of either facilitating or overlooking the illicit activities. The RSF, led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), is battling for control of Sudan, causing widespread instability and displacement.

Somali officials have yet to publicly comment on the complaint, though diplomatic sources in Mogadishu suggest the government is actively investigating the allegations through its security and intelligence agencies. No response has been received from Puntland officials regarding the claims.

The complaint comes amid rising regional tensions, with concerns that Sudan’s ongoing conflict may have broader implications for neighboring countries. The Somali government, which has long struggled with its own security challenges, faces mounting pressure to clarify its position on the war in Sudan and prevent its territory from being used to fuel the conflict.

The matter is expected to be addressed in upcoming cabinet discussions in Somalia, with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi likely to engage in talks on how to resolve the issue diplomatically.
Link


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
UAE rejects Israeli request to bankroll Gaza aid initiative, arguing it fails to address crisis — official
2025-05-10
[IsraelTimes] The United Arab Emirates has rejected an Israeli request to bankroll a new initiative to resume the distribution of aid into Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
after an over two-month embargo, a bigwig familiar with the matter tells The Times of Israel.

The rejection marks a major blow to the initiative, which hasn’t even fully gotten off the ground, as Israel hoped that Emirati support would help convince other countries and international organizations to follow suit.

Israeli officials have been deeply involved in the recent establishment of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which they want to manage the resumption of aid into Gaza in a manner that prevents its diversion from Hamas
..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,...
But a GHF memo provided to potential donors states that the initiative will only feed about 60% of Gaza’s population in an unspecified initial phase. The UN and international organizations briefed on the plan issued a statement earlier this week saying they won’t cooperate with the initiative, as it fails to sufficiently address the humanitarian crisis and "weaponizes" aid.

Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, who heads the Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer’s aid Moran Stav visited the UAE yesterday to meet with Emirati Minister for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy, hoping to convince Abu Dhabi to back the plan, the bigwig says, confirming reporting in the Walla news site.

Hashimy told the Israeli officials that the UAE would not be able to provide such financial support because the GHF initiative — as it currently stands — does not properly address the humanitarian crisis, the official says.

The official stresses that Abu Dhabi’s position could change if the initiative is adapted to properly meet the moment.

A Western diplomat told The Times of Israel earlier this week that GHF was planning to go public with the roll-out of its new initiative this week, but the lack of international support appears to be delaying the announcement.

Organizers sufficed with a presser held earlier today by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee where he said that the effort was already underway, but he offered minimal details how the initiative would work, while calling on the international community to back the program.
Related:
United Arab Emirates: 2025-05-08 Syria confirms backchannel dialogue with Israel on security matters
United Arab Emirates: 2025-05-08 Puntland Denies UAE Installed Radar Systems in Bosaso for Strikes on Sudan, Yemen
United Arab Emirates: 2025-05-08 Katz says still time for deal to head off Gaza op, but no stopping once it starts
Link


Africa Horn
Puntland Denies UAE Installed Radar Systems in Bosaso for Strikes on Sudan, Yemen
2025-05-08
[Garowe] The Minister of Information of Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
, Mohamud Aideed Dirir, has firmly denied recent reports alleging that the United Arab Emirates has installed radar systems in the coastal city of Bosaso to launch military strikes on Sudan
...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans...
and Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of...
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the minister dismissed the claims as "fabricated propaganda" pushed by what he described as hostile actors opposed to Puntland’s stability and progress in the war against terrorism.

"Countries like The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
, Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
, and some entities masquerading as international media outlets are behind these baseless allegations," said Minister Dirir. "They cannot accept the fact that Puntland has defeated terrorist groups which Turkey itself has fought for years without success."

The minister's comments come in response to widespread speculation and unverified reports on social media suggesting the UAE may be using Bosaso as a launch base for military operations beyond Somalia’s borders — claims that have not been substantiated by any independent sources.

The UAE has a known security and economic presence in Puntland, particularly in maritime operations through its long-standing support for anti-piracy efforts and port development in Bosaso. The UAE, however, did not comment on the claims of radar installations in Puntland.
Link


Africa Horn
Somalia: Puntland Forces Kill Over 40 Militants in Major Blow to ISIS
2025-04-21
[Garowe] As the third phase of operations against ISIS forces of Evil starts in northern Somalia, the Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
Defense Forces killed over 40 fighters, Saturday, officials said, in a move that further weakens the group, which is fighting to control the region.

The Puntland forces are working closely with the US Africa Command and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the crackdown, with the two partners providing important aerial surveillance operations, which are critical in seizing strategic bases.

According to military officials, the latest operation targeted ISIS bases in the Togga Miraale area within the Bari region, where the forces of Evil have reportedly been hiding since the operation Lightning was initiated earlier this year.

"Our forces dealt a decisive blow to the terrorists, clearing key command sites and reclaiming strategic ground," General Mohammed Mohamud Faadhigo, spokesperson for the operation, told news hounds. "Togga Miiraale had long served as one of their last major refuges."

The offensive also effectively foiled a planned suicide kaboom by the hard boys, who were going after the Puntland military base within the expansive mountainous Cal-Miskaad region. The attack disrupted the hard boys' activities, officials noted.

Military commanders described the area’s complex geography, deep gorges, and steep mountain ranges as a longtime advantage for forces of Evil seeking cover. But the success provided yet another important victory for the group, officials added.

"Togga Miiraale will be remembered as the place where ISIS met its final defeat in Somalia," one commander said, noting that a third phase of the offensive is now underway to eliminate remaining cells scattered across the region.

Puntland is fighting to eliminate the ISIS forces of Evil within the Bari region, which is a gateway to the strategic commercial capital of Puntland — Bosaso, which is situated along the Indian Ocean coastline in Somalia.
Link


Africa Horn
US relying on UAE military presence in Somaliland as Trump takes aim at alleged ‘Houthi infiltration’ in Somalia
2025-04-16
[HodhodYemenNews] Satellite imagery have shown that the United Arab Emirates has deployed advanced Israeli multi-mission radar systems, the ELM-2084 3D AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array), Radar to northeastern Somalia, specifically to the Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
Maritime Headquarters adjacent to the UAE-operated Bosaso Air Base.

The emergence of the satellite imagery comes amid accusations that the UAE has been conducting suspicious military flights to Somaliland
...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells....
in recent months.

The UAE aims to use these Israeli radars for early warning and surveillance, to track ballistic missiles and drones launched by Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of...
i forces toward Israel and Israeli ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

These attacks are part of Yemen’s support and backing operations in solidarity with the people of Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
The UAE has taken responsibility for establishing a military base for the Zionist entity and for deploying its defensive military technology in Somaliland in mid-2024, in an effort to reduce Yemeni military operations against Israel.

It is worth noting that the "ELM-2084" system is produced by the Israeli company "Elta," a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and is widely used in air defense systems, including the Iron Dome system.

In recent years, Abu Dhabi has succeeded in persuading local authorities in Somaliland of the need to establish an Israeli military base in exchange for Israel working toward official recognition of the so-called "Republic of Somaliland," to secure an Israeli military presence overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.

The revelation of the deployment of Israeli radar systems in Somaliland coincides with new claims made by US President Donald Trump
...The tack in the backside of the Democratic Party...
on Saturday, in which he "warned of the Iran's Houthi sock puppets
...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him...
infiltration" into Somalia.

He indicated that he had granted US forces the freedom to act in response to threats in Somalia — a statement that signals a possible American inclination to expand the scope of military confrontations in the Horn of Africa.

Shabelle Media has more on the story here.
Link


Africa Horn
US Africa Command confirms defensive airstrike against ISIS in Somalia
2025-04-05
[Garowe] A few hours after Somalia’s Information Ministry confirmed an airstrike in southeastern areas of Bosaso, the US Africa Command, which coordinated the attack, has taken responsibility while terming it a 'defensive' operation within the region.

In a statement, the US Africa Command noted that the 'initial assessment is that multiple enemy combatants were killed and that no civilians were injured or killed'. The number of the militants killed was not immediately disclosed.

Reports indicate that the victims were gathering within the area to wage an attack against security forces before their elimination. The US has periodically assisted Puntland regional forces in fighting the ISIS militants within the state.

"ISIS-Somalia has proved both its will and capability to attack U.S. and partner forces. This group's malicious efforts threaten U.S. national security interests," the command said in thr statement.

"AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade ISIS-Somalia’s ability to plan and conduct attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, our forces, and our civilians abroad."

Specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operations security, the Command added. Calmiskaad mountains have been the battlefield for the operations against ISIS militants for the last three months.

Puntland Defense Forces are steadily advancing towards the Miraale, a key area in the Cal-Miskaad mountain range of the Bari region, where US airstrikes have recently been carried out to weaken the capabilities of ISIS.

Senior officials in the Puntland Defense Forces confirmed to Garowe Online that following a series of airstrikes, the forces launched their most intense ground operation to date to eliminate ISIS in the hills, with the operation termed as 'successful'.
Related:
Bosaso: 2025-04-01 Somalia Offers U.S. Control of Airbases, Ports to Counter Islamist Militants
Bosaso: 2025-03-31 Somalia offers US exclusive control of air bases, ports
Bosaso: 2025-03-05 Somalia: Puntland forces seize ISIS headquarters in mountains
Link


Africa Horn
Somalia Offers U.S. Control of Airbases, Ports to Counter Islamist Militants
2025-04-01
More on this interesting story from yesterday.
[Breitbart] Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud wrote a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump last week offering the United States exclusive control of some of the nation’s airbases and ports, which would greatly improve America’s military presence in the region.

The implicit bargain was that the U.S. would use these bases to protect Somalia against incursions by Islamist militants.

“These strategically positioned assets provide an opportunity to bolster American engagement in the region, ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor,” Mohamud wrote to Trump, as related by Reuters, which reviewed a copy of the March 16 letter on Friday.

Reuters mentioned four specific sites covered by the letter: airbases in Baledogle and Berbera and ports in Berbera and Bosaso.

Baledogle’s airfield, located about 55 miles from Mogadishu, is already heavily utilized by the U.S. military. The Port of Bosaso is controlled by the autonomous state of Puntland and operated by a company from the United Arab Emirates, which has been working to modernize the port’s commercial facilities.

By far the most provocative aspect of the Somali president’s letter was his offer to give the United States operational control over the port and airfield in Berbera, which is located in the breakaway province of Somaliland. The region became part of Somalia in 1960 and declared independence in 1991 after overthrowing a brutal military dictator. It has been self-governing since then, with its own president, administration, and constitution. No other country recognizes Somaliland’s independence, however.

The breakaway region’s inhabitants consider their government to be more honest and transparent than Somalia’s. Somalilanders have won international applause for holding clean elections where opposition parties can actually win sometimes, though no other nation or major international organization formally recognizes the outcome of those elections.

Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aden was not amused when Reuters told him the president of Somalia offered to give control of Berbera’s port and airfield to the United States.

“The USA gave up this corrupted regime called Somalia. The USA is now ready to deal with Somaliland, who has shown the world to be a peaceful, stable, and democratic nation,” he asserted.

“The USA is not stupid. They know who they need to deal with when it comes to Berbera port,” he added confidently.

“It is astonishing to hear statements from the President of Somalia, who cannot even manage Mogadishu, yet meddles in Berbera,” Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro told reporters on Saturday.

“I tell the international community, the President of the United States, and the world at large: Somaliland governs its own land, sea, and airspace,” he declared.

The Financial Times (FT) reported on March 14 that American diplomats have made initial contacts with Irro’s administration to take control of Berbera’s port in exchange for U.S. recognition of Somaliland’s independence. According to FT’s sources, these “very tentative, initial contacts” represented the “beginnings of a conversation” about the U.S. acquiring territory in Somaliland, which might be used to handle refugees from Gaza under President Trump’s vision of relocating the Palestinians and renovating Gaza to become “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

Irro denied negotiating with the U.S. to relocate the Palestinians in February, and Somali President Mohamud has insisted the Palestinians must remain in Gaza.
Related:
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud 03/31/2025 Somalia offers US exclusive control of air bases, ports
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud 03/29/2025 Al-Shabaab seizes strategic town during Somalia President's frontline trip
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud 03/29/2025 Why Al-Shabaab intensified attacks in Somalia recent months

Link


Africa Horn
Somalia offers US exclusive control of air bases, ports
2025-03-31
And just like that, Turkey’s investment of time, money, and training is pushed to the back burner. Interesting — contrast with Iraq’s push to get America out as quickly as possible.
[ShabelleMedia] Somalia is prepared to offer the United States exclusive control of strategic air bases and ports, its president said in a letter to President Donald Trump
...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US...
seen by Rooters on Friday.

In the March 16 letter, authenticated by a regional diplomat with knowledge of the matter, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the assets included air bases in Balidogle and Berbera as well as the ports of Berbera and Bosaso.

Somalia’s foreign affairs and information ministers did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

The offer could give the United States a firmer military presence in the Horn of Africa region as it looks to counter the threat from Islamist Death Eaters in Somalia and across the region.

"These strategically positioned assets provide an opportunity to bolster American engagement in the region, ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor," the letter said.

Berbera is in the breakaway Somaliland
...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells....
region, meaning the offer for the port and air base there would put the government there and Somalia on a collision course.

"What cooperation? The USA gave up this corrupted regime called Somalia. The USA is now ready to deal with Somaliland, who has shown the world to be a peaceful, stable, and democratic nation," Abdirahman Dahir Aden, Somaliland’s foreign minister, told Rooters.

"The USA is not stupid. They know who they need to deal with when it comes to Berbera port," he added.

Somalia opposes any move for Somaliland to be recognized as an independent nation.

Balidogle is about 90 km (55 miles) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, while Bosaso is in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
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Related:
Balidogle: 2024-10-10 Somalia Graduates Elite DANAB Commandos in Bid to Bolster Security
Balidogle: 2023-03-12 Civilian casualties in AFRICOM’s latest Somalia airstrikes
Balidogle: 2023-03-01 Revealed: Amount used by US military on Somalia's special Danab forces
Related:
Berbera: 2024-10-06 AFRICOM Chief says Islamic State doubles size in north Somalia
Berbera: 2024-09-02 Why Ethiopia is so alarmed by an Egypt-Somalia alliance
Berbera: 2024-03-18 UAE setting up mercenary force to be deployed in Somalia and Yemen
Related:
Bosaso: 2025-03-05 Somalia: Puntland forces seize ISIS headquarters in mountains
Bosaso: 2025-02-26 Puntland Forces Take Control of ISIS Bomb-Making Facility
Bosaso: 2025-02-20 Puntland Forces Capture ISIS Members Involved in Extortion and Bombings
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