Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused Israel of violating international law and committing an “unlawful invasion.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state, calling the move “illegal and unacceptable.”
At a joint press conference with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Ankara on Tuesday, Erdogan warned that Israeli recognition of Somalia’s breakaway territory could destabilize the Horn of Africa.
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He added that Turkiye and Somalia are deepening energy cooperation after showing promising signs from joint ocean exploration activities.
“Maintaining Somalia’s unity and integrity under any circumstances is of particular importance in our view. Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland is unjust and unacceptable,” Erdoğan said.
“The Netanyahu regime has the blood of 71,000 Palestinian brothers and sisters in its veins,” he added, referring to Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza. “The Netanyahu regime now also seeks to destabilize the Horn of Africa with attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Qatar and Syria.”
Israel last Friday became the first and only country to formally recognize Somaliland, describing the move as being in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel’s relations with several Arab countries.
“Unlawful invasion”
Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government following the civil war. Despite maintaining its own currency, passport, and army, it has failed to gain international recognition.
Muhamud joined Ergoghan in accusing Israel of “illegal aggression” and said the recognition violated the United Nations Charter and the African Union Agreement.
“Israel is exporting the issue of Gaza and Palestine and trying to distract the whole world, including the Arab world and the Muslim world,” he later said in an interview with Al Jazeera.
“Israel will resort to forcibly displacing Palestinians in Somalia. Israel also wants to control the strategically important waterway that connects the commercially and economically important seas between the Red Sea, the Gulf, and the Gulf of Aden.”
Africa is becoming unstable
Muhamud warned that the move would have international repercussions and also said it could mark the beginning of instability in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia.
He recalled that Turkiye had previously played a mediating role between Somalia and Somaliland and continued to support efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully.
Independent researcher Abdinor Dahir said Turkiye’s government has invested heavily in Somalia, mediating negotiations between Somalia and Somaliland, while supporting security forces and the political process.
He told Al Jazeera that recognizing Israel “threatens Turkiye’s economic interests and presence in the country” and “represents a direct challenge to Somalia’s sovereignty.”
Dahir warned that the move could undermine Somalia’s security progress, which has endured years of civil war and continues to battle insurgent groups including al-Shabab and the Islamic State group.
He said the recognition “could destabilize the entire African region and shift the Middle East conflict to the Horn of Africa.”
