Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, in an interview with i24NEWS, said that an Israeli military base in Somaliland 'could happen' and expressed hope that the United States will soon recognize his country's independence. He made the remarks during his first visit to Israel, where he opened an embassy in Jerusalem earlier this week.
Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, on his first visit to Israel, told i24NEWS that establishing an Israeli military base in Somaliland 'could happen' and that he hopes to win American recognition soon. The interview was published Thursday morning local time.
Abdullahi, who presides over the breakaway East African state recognized by Israel but not by the wider international community, arrived in Israel earlier this week for a landmark state visit. He opened a Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem on Sunday — the first such mission abroad — and has since met President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, as The Zioneer reported.
The remarks come against the backdrop of an official denial Wednesday by Somaliland's Defense Minister, who told Reuters there is no Israeli military presence in Somaliland and no talks on a base — a denial the minister reiterated hours later. Abdullahi's conditional openness appears to be his first public comment on the matter and may signal a divergence between the presidency and the defense ministry. The interview did not specify details of any proposed base or timeline.
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