Turkey–UAE Shadow War Escalates as Puntland Accused of Aiding RSF Genocide and Seizing Turkish Weapons Shipment
Khartoum / Mogadishu – July 26, 2025
The covert confrontation between Turkey and the United Arab Emirates is rapidly transforming into a regional crisis, with Sudan and Somalia now emerging as central battlegrounds. The government of Sudan has accused Puntland, the semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, of actively participating in the arming and logistical support of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the UAE-backed paramilitary group accused of atrocities and ethnic cleansing in Darfur. At the same time, a Turkish weapons shipment bound for Mogadishu was seized by Puntland authorities in what Ankara has described as a hostile act coordinated by the UAE.
The vessel, intercepted last week off the coast of Bosaso, was carrying Turkish-made armored vehicles and small arms destined for the TURKSOM military base in Mogadishu. The shipment was part of Turkey’s ongoing military cooperation with the Somali federal government. Sources in Ankara and Mogadishu confirm that the cargo was legally documented and cleared through Somali national authorities. Puntland forces diverted the vessel to Bosaso and have refused to release the shipment.
Turkish and Somali federal officials have condemned the seizure, calling it an illegal act of piracy. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated that Puntland’s actions undermine Somalia’s national sovereignty and violate international maritime law. Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed the warning, demanding the immediate return of the vessel and its cargo.
Intelligence reports shared with Western diplomats in Nairobi and Khartoum link the hijacking directly to Emirati influence in Puntland. Intercepted messages and flight records show that UAE operatives were active in Bosaso in the days leading up to the incident. Turkish officials believe the move was intended to disrupt Ankara’s expanding military role in the Horn of Africa and its deepening partnership with the Somali federal government.
“This was a deliberate escalation,” a senior Turkish defense official said. “We are not dealing with a local misunderstanding. We are facing a coordinated effort to obstruct Turkish military assistance to a sovereign partner.”
At the same time, Sudanese officials have gone public with allegations that the UAE is using Bosaso port as a supply and transit hub for weapons and mercenaries destined for the RSF. A statement from the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday accused Puntland authorities of enabling genocide in Darfur and providing material support to RSF operations in South and West Kordofan.
According to the statement, multiple foreign fighters have entered Sudan through land routes from Chad after arriving on Emirati-chartered vessels at Bosaso. Intelligence provided by Sudanese military sources includes satellite images of nighttime cargo operations and aircraft arriving without transponder signals. Humanitarian groups operating in Darfur have documented an increase in foreign weapon types used in RSF raids on civilian areas.
“Puntland is not a bystander,” said General Khalid Idris, a Sudanese military spokesman. “It is an active node in the UAE’s war network. It is fueling genocide by supporting the RSF’s military capacity through illegal channels.”
The situation in Bosaso has now triggered a wider military alert. Turkish naval forces have repositioned two frigates in the Gulf of Aden and are conducting drone surveillance along the northeastern Somali coastline. Diplomatic cables circulated among NATO and African Union members indicate that Ankara is prepared to take direct military action if the ship is not released before July 30. Options reportedly under consideration include a precision drone strike on Bosaso port infrastructure and electronic disruption of Puntland’s radar and communications systems.
Puntland’s government has not commented officially on the accusations, though regional observers note the long history of Emirati investment and political patronage in the region. The UAE operates port facilities and has funded maritime security units in Puntland for over a decade. Somali intelligence officials warn that Puntland’s security architecture is heavily penetrated by Emirati interests and that the region may no longer be acting independently.
“This is no longer an internal Somali matter,” said Abdirahman Yusuf, a former Somali intelligence official. “Puntland is now operating as an extension of the UAE’s foreign policy agenda in the region. The seizure of the Turkish shipment was not only provocative, it was part of a broader strategy.”
The United Nations and African Union have urged all parties to de-escalate. A joint statement called for the immediate release of the Turkish vessel and for all foreign powers to respect Somalia’s territorial integrity and avoid actions that could widen the conflict.
As the July 30 deadline approaches, the risk of a Turkish military response grows. With the Sudan war intensifying and Somalia now drawn into the fray, the secret war between Turkey and the UAE is no longer contained to back channels and proxy forces. It is threatening to erupt into a broader regional confrontation with consequences stretching from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
