Somalia’s Mohamud slams Israel’s interference, rejects base on Somaliland

Al JazeeraEN 3 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffFebruary 8, 2026 at 06:04 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud criticized Israel's recognition of Somaliland and warned against the establishment of an Israeli military base in the breakaway region. In an Al Jazeera interview, Mohamud stated Somalia would confront any Israeli military presence, fearing it would destabilize the region and potentially be used to attack neighboring countries. His comments follow Israel's December 2025 decision to recognize Somaliland, a move condemned by Somalia as an attack on its territorial integrity. While Somaliland has welcomed the diplomatic recognition and discussed the possibility of hosting a base, Somalia, backed by many African and Arab leaders, demands Israel withdraw its recognition. The situation is heightened by Somaliland's strategic location near critical maritime routes.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Gaza Strip 30% Al Jazeera 40% Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro) 40% Benjamin Netanyahu ×260% Somalia ×480% Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ×390% Somaliland ×990% Israel ×1090%

Keywords

somalia 90% israeli interference 90% israeli military base 85% somaliland recognition 80% somaliland 80% hassan sheikh mohamud 70% regional instability 70% breakaway region 60% territorial integrity 60%