Monday July 6, 2026
Hargeisa (HOL) — A military base is reportedly being built near Berbera airport in Somaliland, with secret funding from the United Arab Emirates and possible use by the UAE, the United States and Israel, according to a report by the French newspaper Le Monde.
Le Monde reported that satellite images showed major excavation work underway in at least three locations south of the runway between October 2025 and March.
The newspaper said at least 18 trenches had been dug in the sandy soil. It quoted a European security source as saying the underground structures appeared consistent with ammunition storage facilities or fuel tanks.
There has been no official statement from Somaliland, the UAE, the United States or Israel regarding the report.
The reported construction has drawn opposition from some local figures in Somaliland.
Traditional elder Suldan Ahmed Qabille opposed the use of Berbera airport as a foreign military base, warning that such a move could draw Somaliland into regional and international rivalries.
“I believe that the interests of my people are above foreign interests,” Qabille wrote on Facebook. “Therefore, I am responsibly opposed to the use of Berbera Airport as a military base for use by foreign countries, which could lead Somaliland into rivalries and conflicts that are beyond our interests.”
He said it was unacceptable for Somaliland to become a site of competition between global powers or a base for the military interests of other countries.
“Any such malicious action can create security and diplomatic threats that are not in the interest of the people,” he said.
Le Monde said the construction coincides with Israel’s reported recognition of Somaliland’s independence on Dec. 26, 2025.
The report said Israel’s move was aimed at establishing a forward position near the Gulf of Aden and close to Yemen’s coast, where Houthi forces operate.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, have threatened maritime traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical shipping route for Israel, the United States and other international actors.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not received broad international recognition. Somalia’s federal government maintains that Somaliland remains part of the Federal Republic of Somalia and says foreign policy and military agreements fall under the authority of the central government.