Somalia’s Defence Minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, has confirmed that transport aircraft carrying undisclosed cargo have been flying between Bosaso Airport in Somalia’s Puntland region and western Sudan. This admission follows a Middle East Eye (MEE) report last week, which detailed the use of Bosaso Airport by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF has been engaged in a brutal conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since April 2023, with allegations of genocide and widespread human rights abuses, including rape and murder of civilians in North Darfur’s el-Fasher city. MEE’s investigation revealed that heavy logistical materials were offloaded at Bosaso Airport before being transported to Sudan via neighboring countries. Additionally, Colombian mercenaries, reportedly fighting alongside the RSF, have been observed transiting through Bosaso Airport. Flight tracking data and satellite imagery suggest the UAE as the origin of these operations. The UAE has long funded Puntland’s regional security forces, and the semi-autonomous region maintains close ties with Abu Dhabi. Somalia’s federal government, which controls the country’s airspace, has not openly confronted the UAE over its activities in Puntland. Former Somali Foreign Minister Abdisaid Muse Ali accused Somalia of complicity in the genocide in Sudan, stating that the use of Bosaso as a logistical hub implicates Somalia in sustaining the RSF’s operations. The report has sparked widespread debate in Somali and regional media, with prominent figures condemning the alleged involvement of Bosaso Airport in Sudan’s conflict. Despite historical support from Sudan, including scholarships for Somali students, Somalia’s role in the war has drawn criticism and calls for accountability.