Somalia warns against Israeli military base plans in Somaliland

Somalia has warned against alleged Israeli plans to build a military base in the breakaway region of Somaliland, whose independence Somalia does not recognise. The base would be a strategic point for Israel to conduct airstrikes against adversaries in the region as part of its ongoing war.

It would not want its territory dragged “into external confrontations”.

Somalia warned last week against alleged plans by Israel to construct a military base in the breakaway region of Somaliland.

A military base in the region, sitting in front of Yemen across the Gulf of Aden, would allow Israel to conduct strategic airstrikes and attacks on its adversaries in the wider region, which include the Houthi rebels in Yemen, but also Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel was the first UN member to recognise Somaliland’s independence last December, striking a partnership with the breakaway region in the process.

While it was not initially clear whether the relationship would be purely diplomatic, Somaliland’s officials said in early February that they could not rule out that Israel would establish a military presence on its territory.

Somalia, which refuses to recognise the breakaway region, has so far seen these developments with worry.