Horn of Africa in January 2026: the most important developments in security
In the Horn of Africa in January 2026, Somalia terminated all its military and port agreements with the United Arab Emirates on 12 January, citing an airspace breach. Days earlier, Somalia had opened a probe into alleged use of its airspace by the leader of Yemen's UAE-allied separatist movement, who fled to Abu Dhabi via Somaliland.
Israel's recognition of Somaliland remained a regional issue: a Somaliland official said on 8 January that hosting an Israeli military base was on the table, contradicting an earlier denial. Egypt expanded its military presence in Somalia. Turkey extended its naval deployment in the Gulf of Aden for another year and was said to be deploying F-16 jets in Somalia. The United States launched a wave of strikes in Somalia against ISIS and al-Shabaab, and Somali and African Union forces killed 30 Al-Shabaab militants in Lower Shabelle.
Ethiopia unveiled newly acquired Russian drones on 27 January and accused Eritrea of arming rebels in an escalating exchange of words. On 26 January Sudan's army recaptured a major area from the paramilitary RSF near the Ethiopian border.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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