Jerusalem (Somalia Today) — Somaliland leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Irro, has said he could not rule out the possibility of an Israeli military base in the self-declared region in northwestern Somalia, while saying direct flights between Israel and Hargeisa would begin “very soon”.
Irro made the remarks in an interview with i24NEWS during his visit to Israel, days after meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opening what his administration called Somaliland’s first “embassy” in Jerusalem.
Somalia has condemned Israel’s engagement with Somaliland, saying it violates the country’s sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and constitutional order.
Asked whether an Israeli military base could one day be established in Somaliland, Irro did not rule it out. He said future arrangements would depend on how relations between the two sides develop.
Somaliland’s defence minister, Mohamed Yusuf Ali, has separately said Israel is training Somaliland police and military forces, but said there are no current plans or talks to establish an Israeli military base.
‘Under the radar’ ties
The security issue gained further weight on Wednesday when Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had cooperated with Somaliland for years through undisclosed activities.
“Israel and Somaliland have a long-standing friendship based on shared interests, democratic values, and a commitment to security and stability,” Katz said after meeting Irro, according to a statement from his office.
“For many years we have cooperated under the radar in a series of activities that will remain secret,” he added.
Katz said Israel was now “determined to bring our security cooperation to new heights — for the benefit of both peoples and for the stability of the region”.
His office said the meeting focused on ways to “deepen security, economic, and political cooperation” between Israel and Somaliland.
The remarks add context to Irro’s comments on a possible future Israeli base, while leaving the question unresolved.
Earlier this year, a Western diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity that there was “a widespread assumption” of an Israeli military or security presence in Somaliland.
Retired Israeli Brigadier General Amir Avivi also told the Israel Defence and Security Forum in May that “people are not aware, but the Israeli navy has been operating in the area”.
“Israel is building capabilities in Somaliland… we have a base now,” he added.
Somalia rejects any Israeli security or diplomatic engagement with Somaliland outside the framework of the Federal Government of Somalia.
Direct flights
Irro also said direct flights between Israel and Hargeisa would begin “very soon”.
The announcement would require practical aviation arrangements, as Somalia’s federal government controls the country’s internationally recognised airspace, including routes over Somaliland.
Mogadishu has previously insisted that foreign engagement with Somaliland must go through the Federal Government of Somalia.
The flight pledge followed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland’s independence claim in December 2025, making it the first country to do so.
“Normally, embassies are opened in the capitals of individual countries that recognise each other,” Irro told i24NEWS, defending the decision to open the mission in Jerusalem.
Most countries keep their embassies in Tel Aviv because Jerusalem remains one of the most sensitive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel regards the whole city as its capital, while Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.
Irro said Israel was the only country to respond to a letter he sent to 193 nations in May 2025 requesting recognition.
‘Not breakaway’
Irro also rejected descriptions of Somaliland as a breakaway region.
“We are not breakaway,” he said. “We became a sovereign country on 26 June, 1960.”
Somaliland authorities argue that the former British protectorate gained independence in 1960 before voluntarily uniting with Somalia days later.
Somalia rejects that position and says Somaliland remains part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
No African Union member state has recognised Somaliland as an independent state.
Somalia’s foreign ministry said this week that engagement by Israel with “the secessionist administration of the northern region of Somalia” violated Somalia’s “sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and constitutional order”.
It said the federal government remained “the sole legitimate authority empowered to represent the country in international relations”.
Irro pointed to Berbera Port as an asset in Somaliland’s push for international partnerships, saying it could serve Ethiopia and other landlocked African states.
He said the port had attracted interest from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and other countries.
Asked whether Somaliland could play a role in confronting Houthi threats in the Red Sea, Irro said the region was “not an enemy to anyone”, but had the right to defend itself.
He said Somaliland was seeking international support to improve its coastguard capabilities.
Irro said Israel could offer cooperation in agriculture, water, health and security.
He also said eight children from Somaliland with heart conditions would receive medical treatment in Israel during the visit.
Recognition push
Irro said he expected more countries to follow Israel in recognising Somaliland’s independence claim, though he did not name any countries or provide a timeline.
Recognition “can be soon”, he said.
His message to governments still withholding recognition was direct.
“Please join before it is too late,” he said. “Who comes first will have the best opportunity.”
During the same visit, Irro received the Friends of Zion Award in Jerusalem.
Critics say the award carries political weight because of the Friends of Zion Museum’s links to Christian Zionist and pro-Israel advocacy.
Palestinian and Arab commentators often view such honours as part of a wider campaign to legitimise Israel’s control over Jerusalem and reward foreign figures who back Israeli positions on the city.
Somalia has rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland’s independence claim and the opening of the Jerusalem mission.
It has said any political, diplomatic or security engagement with Somaliland outside the framework of the Somali federal government has “no legal or political standing”.
Mogadishu has also said it reserves the right to take “all lawful and necessary measures” through diplomatic, legal and other channels to protect Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity.
