A unusual claim from Somalia has revived questions about the growing security relationship between Israel and Somaliland, the breakaway territory in the Horn of Africa. According to a report cited by Amit Segal, a senior Somali official said Israel had deployed about 50 soldiers inside Somaliland, including troops of Ethiopian origin who were, he claimed, chosen to avoid attracting local attention.
The allegation came just days after Defense Minister Israel Katz met in Israel with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohammed Abdillahi. Katz said the two sides had worked together for years “under the radar” in activities that would remain secret. His office later said Israel and Somaliland had maintained significant security ties over the years and that Israel wanted to expand cooperation in security, intelligence, technology and innovation.
Somaliland’s defense minister, Mohammed Yusuf Ali, denied last week in comments to Reuters that Israel has a base or military presence there. He said there are no talks about setting up an Israeli base, but acknowledged that Israel helps train Somaliland’s police and army.
The backdrop is an earlier report by Kan News saying about 50 Somaliland special forces personnel returned home after training in Israel. A Somaliland official did not deny that report at the time, saying the two sides cooperate across multiple fields. Somalia regards Somaliland as an inseparable part of its territory, so any report of Israeli activity there quickly heightens political and security tensions. There is still no Israeli confirmation of the new claim about soldiers being deployed, but Katz’s remarks about secret cooperation give it added sensitivity.
