HARGEISA, Somaliland (MNTV) — A military facility is reportedly under construction near Berbera Airport in Somaliland with financial backing from the United Arab Emirates and potential future use by the UAE, the United States, and Israel, according to a report published by French newspaper Le Monde.
The report said satellite imagery taken between October 2025 and March 2026 showed extensive excavation work at multiple sites south of the airport runway.
It said at least 18 trenches had been dug, with a European security source suggesting the underground structures could be intended for storing ammunition or fuel.
Neither Somaliland nor the governments of the UAE, the United States or Israel have publicly commented on the claims.
The reported project has prompted criticism from some figures in Somaliland, including traditional elder Suldan Ahmed Qabille, who warned against allowing Berbera Airport to become a base for foreign military forces.
Qabille said Somaliland should prioritize its own national interests and avoid becoming involved in geopolitical rivalries that could expose the territory to unnecessary security and diplomatic risks.
According to Le Monde, the construction follows Israel’s reported recognition of Somaliland’s independence in December 2025.
The move, said the newspaper, was intended to strengthen Israel’s strategic position near the Gulf of Aden and Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthi movement has targeted international shipping.
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has created international uproar, when Israel went on to create its ties to a country still not recognized by most states.
The recognition is also controversial, as Israel, with its destructive ethos, is creating chaos in the region surrounding it, and this secret base is believed to project its devastating power beyond the region.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait remains one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, and attacks on vessels in the area have heightened security concerns for regional and international powers.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but it remains largely unrecognized internationally.
Somalia’s federal government continues to regard Somaliland as part of its territory and maintains that all foreign policy and defense agreements fall under the authority of the central government.