SOMALIA · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —The country Somalia is a Horn of Africa nation where the federal government in Mogadishu shares power with regional states such as Puntland and Jubaland.
- —What happened On Monday 26 October 2026, Caasimada Online reported an interview in which a Somali ex-spy chief names three leaders he met in the UAE.
- —The claim According to Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloolshe, they discussed forming an alliance whose aim is to remove President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud from office.
- —Who he named He named Said Abdullahi Deni of Puntland, Ahmed Madobe of Jubaland and Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro of Somaliland.
- —Agreement Caasimada and Somali Guardian both wrote that it is not clear whether the talks produced any agreement.
- —Responses Hiiraan Online said Deni, Madobe and Irro had not responded as of Sunday 25 October, and the UAE is not quoted.
- —Why it matters Washington backs Somalia’s federal government against the Islamist group Al-Shabaab, so a split among Somali leaders and a Gulf state raises risk.
A Somali ex-spy chief says he met the leaders of Puntland, Jubaland and Somaliland in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss ousting the president. Caasimada Online and Hiiraan Online reported his account on Monday 26 October 2026.
The claim has not been independently verified, and the reports do not say that the UAE leads or funds any such alliance. For US readers, the story matters because the Horn of Africa hosts American counterterrorism work and key shipping lanes.
What the Somali Ex-Spy Chief Said
Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloolshe is a former director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency, known as NISA. Somali Guardian reported in June 2025 that he was dismissed and replaced by Mahad Salad.
In an interview circulating on Sunday 25 October, the Somali ex-spy chief said the talks were about uniting forces opposed to Hassan Sheikh. Somali Guardian wrote that he urged the leaders to back an armed rebellion in Hiiraan, where his Hawadle clan wants its own administration.
Who the Three Named Leaders Are
Said Abdullahi Deni is president of Puntland, a north-eastern state that runs its own security forces and has clashed with Mogadishu over the constitution. Ahmed Mohamed Islam, known as Ahmed Madobe, is president of Jubaland, a southern state on the Kenyan border that also runs its own security forces.
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Irro, is president of Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 and is not recognized by the Somali federal government. Caasimada says Puntland, Jubaland and Somaliland all rejected Mogadishu’s January decision on the UAE and said they would keep their ties with Abu Dhabi.
Why Mogadishu and Abu Dhabi Are at Odds
On Monday 12 January 2026, Somalia’s government announced that it was cancelling all agreements with the UAE on security, defence and ports. It accused Abu Dhabi of harming Somalia’s sovereignty, and the deals tied to the ports of Berbera, Bosaso and Kismayo were included, Ecofin Agency reported.
Caasimada adds that the federal government has accused the UAE of organizing a force like the Rapid Support Forces, the Sudanese paramilitary group, inside Somalia. The site says the government has shown no public evidence, and Hiiraan Online notes that the UAE denies backing the Sudanese force.
The Fight Over the President’s Term
Caasimada says parliament approved a change in March that sets a five-year presidential term, so Hassan Sheikh can stay until May 2027. Opposition figures, including the Puntland and Jubaland leaders, reject the extension and the election timetable set by the electoral commission.
The dispute has a military side as well, as in the South West State fight over towns in Bay region. Caasimada, citing the research group ACLED, says forces loyal to Abdiaziz Laftagareen took Buurhakaba on 15 October.
What Other Voices Have Said
Another former NISA chief, General Abdirahman Mohamed Turyare, warned on Facebook that armed groups are forming in the Bay, Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions. His post named no leaders, gave no proof of links to Al-Shabaab and did not mention Sanbaloolshe’s meetings, Caasimada noted.
Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said on 1 October that politicians in Abu Dhabi were learning militia tactics from Sudan’s paramilitaries, The Somali Digest reported. Former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has denied that his UAE trips were linked to the opposition, saying they were about family matters.
What It Means for US Readers
The United States works with Somalia’s federal government against Al-Shabaab, so a feud between Mogadishu and the regions can distract from that campaign. If the Somali ex-spy chief’s claim proved true, it would also test Washington’s ties to Gulf states that are rivals in the Horn of Africa.
Investors and shippers watch Berbera, Bosaso and Kismayo, three Somali ports where the UAE has been a major player. A political crisis before the 2027 vote could raise security and insurance costs along that coast.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the meetings took place as the Somali ex-spy chief said, and none of the three leaders has responded publicly. No document, date or venue in the UAE has been made public, and Hiiraan Online says the claim cannot be verified.
The UAE government has not been quoted on the claim, and no agreement has been described. Nobody has shown that Abu Dhabi funds or directs any plan to remove the president.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who says the UAE is part of an alliance against Somalia’s president?
The account comes from Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloolshe, a Somali ex-spy chief, in an interview reported on Monday 26 October 2026. Caasimada Online, Hiiraan Online and Somali Guardian have reported it, and none has verified it.
Which leaders did he say he met?
The Somali ex-spy chief named the presidents of Puntland, Jubaland and Somaliland, Said Abdullahi Deni, Ahmed Madobe and Abdirahman Irro. Hiiraan Online said none of them had responded as of Sunday 25 October.
Has anyone denied the report?
The reports carry no denial or confirmation from the UAE, the federal government or the three leaders. Former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has separately denied that his trips to the UAE had anything to do with the opposition.
Why is Somalia in a dispute with the UAE?
On Monday 12 January 2026, Mogadishu announced it was cancelling all agreements with the UAE over sovereignty. Puntland, Jubaland and Somaliland rejected that decision and said they would keep their ties.
When does President Hassan Sheikh’s term end?
Parliament approved a change in March that makes the term five years, which lets him stay until May 2027, Caasimada reported. Opposition leaders reject the extension.
Sources: Caasimada Online, 26 October 2026; Hiiraan Online, 26 October 2026; Somali Guardian, 25 October 2026; Ecofin Agency, 14 January 2026; Somali Guardian, 2 June 2025; The Somali Digest, 1 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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