Somalia warns Israeli move on Somaliland threatens regional security

(MENAFN) Somalia’s National Consultative Council (NCC) on Monday stated that Israel’s recognition of the breakaway Somaliland region poses a serious threat to security across the region, including the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and wider Middle East.

Following meetings in Mogadishu, a communique issued by the Prime Minister’s Office described the Israeli decision as an “illegal step” and a direct violation of Somalia’s unity and sovereignty. The NCC called on all Somali citizens to demonstrate national solidarity and resist any actions or statements that could weaken the country’s cohesion and statehood.

The council, comprising Somalia’s president, regional leaders, the prime minister, and the mayor of Mogadishu, stressed the need for government institutions and citizens to act together against measures undermining the nation.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, speaking during a special parliamentary session on Sunday, condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what he called a “blatant attack” on Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and criticized the disregard for international law.

Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state on Friday, prompting condemnation from Türkiye—a close Somali ally—as well as other nations in Africa and the Middle East.

Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, remains unrecognized internationally and functions as a self-governing administrative, political, and security entity, with the central Somali government facing challenges in asserting control and securing global recognition for the region.

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