Somalia denounces Israeli recognition of SomalilandListen to this articleIn Hargeisa, crowds took to the streets to celebrate, many carrying the flag of the breakaway state. Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has for decades pushed for international recognition, which has been the key priority for president Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi since he took office last year. But a Somali foreign ministry statement warned that the decision was "deliberate attack" on its sovereignty that would undermine peace in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he announced "the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state", making Israel the first country to do so. A deal between landlocked Ethiopia and Somaliland last year to lease a stretch of coastline for a port and military base enraged Somalia.

Source: Bangkok Post December 26, 2025 22:07 UTC