Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared that his country will reject any Israeli military presence under any circumstances, warning against regional destabilization and alleged plans to establish a naval base in the breakaway region of Somaliland.
Somalia will not accept an Israeli presence in the country under any circumstances, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated during an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera. The Somali leader warned that attempts to draw his nation into Middle East crises will fail, maintaining that Mogadishu will resist maneuvers aimed at pulling the country into wider regional crises.
President Mohamud Alleges Berbera Naval Base Plans and Strategic Motives
According to the Somali president, Israel plans to establish a naval base in Berbera and utilize the city’s airport. Berbera is a port city located in Somaliland, a self-declared region in northwestern Somalia that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has governed itself for more than three decades.
Mohamud asserted that the objective behind the initiative is to move closer to Gulf states and Iran. The city is near the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
“Attempts to pull Somalia into the Middle East’s crises will not succeed,”
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, via Al Jazeera
The Somali leader also connected the reported actions to the “Greater Israel” project. While Israel has not adopted it as official policy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in an August 2025 interview that he felt connected to the vision, prompting condemnation from Arab governments.
Somaliland Diplomatic Status and Local Opposition Arguments
Tensions have been influenced by Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in December.
Mogadishu regards Somaliland as an integral part of its territory. President Mohamud emphasized that local residents within the breakaway territory oppose any Israeli presence on the ground, describing Israel as a destabilising force
that does not abide by international law.
In response to the remarks, Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in Hargeisa. The ministry argued that Somalia has no authority to determine Somaliland’s diplomatic relations or speak on behalf of its people, pointing to its independence declared on June 26, 1960, prior to Somalia’s independence on July 1, 1960, and its withdrawal from the union on May 18, 1991.
Regional Security Dynamics
Mohamud affirmed that the United States remains Somalia’s strongest partner in the fight against “terrorism,” asserting that al-Shabab has no presence in major cities. Al-Shabab emerged from the Islamic Courts Union in the mid-2000s and pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda in 2012.
Mohamud also referred to the broader region, where the Houthis have intensified their attacks.
