The breakaway Republic of Somaliland has firmly denied accusations from Somalia that its recent diplomatic recognition by Israel was linked to secret agreements involving an Israeli military base or the resettlement of Palestinians.
Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland last week served as a “cover for specific, high-stakes Israeli strategic objectives.” He alleged these included establishing a naval base on the Gulf of Aden, integrating Somaliland into the Abraham Accords normalization pacts, and facilitating the resettlement of Palestinians displaced from Gaza.
“These allegations are baseless,” Somaliland’s Foreign Ministry stated, asserting they were intended to “mislead the international community and undermine Somaliland’s diplomatic progress.”
Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its sovereign territory, has condemned Israel’s recognition as an “illegitimate” attack on its sovereignty. The move has also drawn criticism from African governments and a threat from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who warned of strikes against any expanded Israeli presence in Africa.
Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, has functioned as a de facto state for over three decades. Securing formal international recognition remains a central goal for its government.