Araweelo News Network – Associated Online Agencies

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Mogadishu  (ANN) – The government of Somalia has warned that its territory must not be used for foreign military operations, following reports that Israel may be considering establishing a military base in Somaliland near the strategic port of Berbera.

Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ali Omar said Mogadishu does not want its territory to become part of escalating regional conflicts.
“Somalia does not want to see its territory drawn into external conflicts or used in ways that could destabilize an already sensitive region,” Omar told Al Jazeera on Thursday.

Reports of Israeli Plans
The warning came after reports by Bloomberg and Sweden’s public broadcaster Sveriges Radio Ekot suggested that Israel is studying the possibility of establishing a military presence near Berbera, located along the Gulf of Aden.
The strategic location faces Yemen across the gulf and lies close to major shipping routes linking the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The reports surfaced as tensions continue to rise in the region amid the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted shipping routes and increased security concerns around the Strait of Hormuz.
Somaliland Response
Officials in Somaliland have not confirmed any negotiations regarding a military base.
However, Somaliland’s presidential minister Khadar Abdi told Bloomberg that Somaliland maintains a “strategic relationship” with Israel.
“Our relationship with Israel consists of many things,” he said, adding that the possibility of hosting a base “has not yet been discussed but could be analyzed at some point.”
Mogadishu Rejects Any Unilateral Deal
Somalia’s government stressed that only the federal authorities have the legal authority to enter international military agreements.

“The Federal Government is the only authority empowered to engage in international security or military arrangements on behalf of the country,” Omar said.
“Any discussion about foreign military bases on Somali land outside of that framework has no legitimacy.”

Regional Sensitivity
The potential for a foreign military base in Somaliland comes at a time when the Horn of Africa is already facing geopolitical pressure from the widening Middle East conflict.
Analysts say the location of Berbera—directly across from Yemen and close to key shipping lanes—makes it strategically valuable for monitoring activity in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, areas that have seen repeated attacks by the Houthi movement on commercial vessels since 2023.
Any foreign military presence in Somaliland could therefore draw the region deeper into the growing confrontation between Iran, Israel and their allies.
For now, Somalia’s government has made clear that it opposes any military arrangements made without the approval of federal authorities.

By Arraale M Jama Freelance Journalist and Human Rights
activist.

 

Araweelo News Network – Associated Online Agencies