By Jama Ayaanle Feyte
Badhan – Senior officers from the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) have visited the Sanaag region as part of a high-level military and diplomatic mission. The delegation, which traveled to Badhan district and other parts of the region, was accompanied by officials from the Puntland government.
The visit included a tour of the Gen Giriin Training Center in Badhan district, a key military academy that has produced multiple cohorts of Puntland’s elite Darawish forces over the past years.
High-Level Delegation
The Ethiopian team was led by the Consul of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Puntland, Major General Tagesse Lambamo Dimbore, alongside other senior Ethiopian military officers. They were hosted by a Puntland delegation headed by Mohamed Abdirahman Dhabancad, advisor to the President of Puntland, as well as other officers from the Puntland Defense Forces.
Briefing on Operations and Foreign Interference
During the visit, Puntland officials provided briefings on the difficult and arduous operations undertaken by the Darawish forces during the recent Calmiskad operation. Significantly, Puntland reported that groups funded by Turkey and Egypt — which had been actively working to undermine stability and create insecurity in the area — have now been successfully dealt with and neutralized.
These foreign-backed elements are believed to have funneled resources to local militias, insurgents, or spoilers aiming to destabilize Puntland’s territory. By neutralizing these threats, Puntland has removed a major obstacle to regional security.
Trilateral Cooperation: Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Puntland
In a significant development, Ethiopian military officials confirmed ongoing trilateral security coordination involving Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Puntland. This emerging axis is focused on countering what the three parties describe as destabilizing interventions by extra-regional powers—specifically Turkey and Egypt.
According to sources familiar with the talks, the three parties have established a joint intelligence-sharing mechanism and are conducting coordinated patrols along key strategic zones in Sanaag and adjacent regions. This cooperation has intensified following repeated allegations that Turkish and Egyptian agents have been arming and funding local militias to undermine the territorial integrity of both Somaliland and Puntland, while simultaneously challenging Ethiopian strategic interests in the Horn of Africa.
Threat of a Turkish Naval Base in Las Qorey
A central concern raised during the briefings was the alleged Turkish plan to establish a permanent naval base in the coastal town of Las Qorey, located in the Sanaag region. Puntland officials presented intelligence indicating that Turkish military advisers had surveyed the area in recent months, with the apparent goal of creating a forward operating base that would extend Ankara’s naval footprint along the Gulf of Aden.
Ethiopian and Somaliland intelligence corroborated these reports, warning that such a base would:
· Provide direct military support to anti-Puntland and anti-Somaliland insurgent groups.
· Threaten international shipping lanes and undermine regional stability.
· Serve as a staging point for Turkish-projected power into the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, directly challenging Ethiopian access to vital sea lanes.
The trilateral partners have reportedly agreed on a series of measures to counter this threat, including enhanced coastal surveillance, joint rapid-response deployments, and diplomatic efforts to rally regional opposition to any foreign military installation in Sanaag without local consent.
Demonstrating Capability and Requesting Support
By announcing that foreign-backed groups have been “dealt with,” Puntland projects military strength and justifies its independent security partnerships outside of Mogadishu’s direct control. At the same time, Puntland officials highlighted the forces’ ongoing need for quality training. This request serves as a diplomatic lever to secure increased Ethiopian military aid, intelligence sharing, and formal training programs for the Darawish forces.
Somaliland, which maintains its own separate security arrangements, has also signaled willingness to host Ethiopian military trainers and logistical hubs in its territory, further cementing the Addis Ababa–Hargeisa–Garowe axis.
Geopolitical Alignment: A Clear Counter to Turkish-Egyptian Influence
The visit underscores a clear alignment between Puntland, Somaliland, and Ethiopia against Turkish and Egyptian influence in the Horn of Africa. This is notable because Turkey maintains close ties with Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu, including operating a major military base there. Meanwhile, Egypt has recently deepened its relations with Somalia’s federal authorities and other regional states.
Puntland’s public statement—echoed by Somaliland officials—implies that both Ankara and Cairo are viewed as destabilizing actors whose activities threaten the security and autonomy of northern Somali territories. The trilateral cooperation framework is now seen as the most formidable counterbalance to this external interference, with Ethiopia leveraging its military and diplomatic weight to protect its Red Sea access interests while bolstering its allies on the Somali coast.
