MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia has announced plans to launch what it describes as a coordinated diplomatic and legal campaign against Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, calling the move “a direct challenge to its sovereignty and a dangerous precedent under international law,” Arlaadi Media reports.
In a sharply worded statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision threatens to inflame tensions across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor, while also undermining regional counterterrorism efforts against armed groups including al-Shabab and ISIL (ISIS). Mogadishu said it would mobilise regional and global partners to defend what it described as Somalia’s internationally recognised borders.
The ministry warned that any move that questions Somalia’s territorial integrity risks destabilising an already fragile region, at a time when security cooperation remains critical.
Former Somali Foreign Minister Abdirizak Mohamed has also raised alarm, describing Israel’s move as “calculated rather than isolated”. Speaking to Arlaadi Media Network, he cautioned that other countries could follow suit, and urged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to convene an urgent national-level conference to unify political leaders.
He said Somalia needed a coordinated strategy to confront what he called a growing diplomatic challenge, stressing that internal divisions could weaken the country’s position internationally.
In response to the development, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has held phone consultations with the leaders of Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. According to a statement from the presidency, known as Villa Somalia, the regional leaders expressed unified support for Somalia’s sovereignty and condemned actions they said run counter to international law.
The president, the statement added, pledged to continue consultations at the international level to safeguard Somalia’s unity and independence.
Domestically, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has reached out to opposition figures, including former presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as Farmaajo, seeking a unified national response and broader political backing for the federal government’s stance.
Sources speaking to Arlaadi Media Network said the Somali Salvation Forum, an opposition coalition, is expected to accept talks with the head of state, although disagreements over the agenda remain a point of contention.
The forum has strongly condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, calling it a serious violation of Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity. It warned that such actions could threaten peace and stability across the Horn of Africa.
In its statement, the forum urged the African Union, the Arab League and the United Nations to stand by Somalia in defending its internationally recognised borders, while calling on Somalis to remain united and vigilant, pursuing lawful and diplomatic means to protect the country’s sovereignty.
