Somali security authorities seized a consignment of suicide drones being discreetly moved across the Puntland region, presumably for use against military and peacekeeping forces in the country's south.
The five devices hidden in speakers were commercial drones that had been modified to carry bombs. Officials with the Puntland Security Forces believe the drones were smuggled via Puntland's Gulf of Aden port at Bosaso by Houthi rebels from Yemen.
Authorities suspect the drones were intended for al-Shabaab militants, and analysts say the suicide drones point to a growing mutualism between the Houthis in Yemen and al-Shabaab.
Emily Milliken, defense and security expert, notes that the Houthis are most likely offering attack drones or surface-to-air missiles, as more advanced systems like anti-ship ballistic missiles and cruise missiles would require significant training and logistical assistance that would be difficult for al-Shabaab to obtain.