Puntland is reportedly planning to release the MV Sea World vessel in the coming days, following pressure from the UAE Embassy in Mogadishu, sources within the Puntland government told Somali Stream.
This pressure stems from communications between Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates after Puntland initially resisted a request from the Turkish Ambassador in Mogadishu.
Ankara views Abu Dhabi as complicit in the seizure of military equipment destined for the Turk-Som camp, where Somali National Army soldiers are trained. Diplomatic sources have indicated that Türkiye threatened action against Puntland if the military equipment was not released.
Relations between Türkiye and the UAE have improved significantly in recent years, with UAE President Mohamed Bin Zayed recently visiting Ankara and the two countries signing cooperation agreements. Türkiye was reportedly angered by the behavior of Said Abdullahi Deni’s administration, which failed to respond to the Turkish embassy’s outreach, leading to high-level engagement between Türkiye and the UAE on the matter.
The UAE not only maintains a base in Bosaso but there are also reports suggesting it uses the Bosaso port to transit weapons supporting the RSF faction. The UAE is reportedly using Puntland in a manner similar to how it has supported General Khalifa Haftar of Libya. The seizure of this weaponry could prompt Türkiye to take any necessary action to recover its equipment.
A pertinent question arises: why hasn’t the UAE, a friend to both the Federal Government and Puntland, worked to reconcile the two sides amidst a three-year-long dispute, instead ordering Said Deni to release the weapons only after pressure from Türkiye? Nevertheless, the Puntland government had previously shown respect for the Turkish government, stating in a press release on July 23rd: “The Puntland Government thanks the Turkish people and Government for their fraternal relations and support to the Somali people.”
Puntland also admitted that the Turkish Ambassador to Mogadishu contacted the administration after information about the vessel emerged, as he confirmed that the cargo on board the vessel belonged to the Turkish government. This intervention from Turkish Embassy prompted the Puntland government to secure the vessel to Bosaso Port for further inspection.