Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has sharply criticized Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, calling it an unlawful interference that threatens Somalia’s territorial integrity and risks further destabilizing the Horn of Africa and key global trade routes.
Speaking with Doha-based Al Jazeera, Mohamud on Saturday said that Somalia “will never allow” the establishment of an Israeli military base in Somaliland and vowed to confront any such move, warning it could be used as a launch point for attacks on neighboring countries.
Mohamud’s remarks followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision in December to recognize Somaliland, a separatist region in northwestern Somalia.
The move made Israel the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent state, marking a major diplomatic shift in a region long defined by contested sovereignty and fragile security.
Somalia has denounced the recognition as an assault on its unity, a stance supported by most African and Arab governments.
