JERUSALEM, June 18 – North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, said Israel does not currently have a military presence in North Western State of Somalia, while stopping short of ruling out such a development in the future as ties between the two sides widen across several fields.
Speaking to Israeli broadcaster i24News, Cirro said: “At the moment, Israel has no troops in North Western State of Somalia, but I cannot speak about what may happen in the future.”
He said North Western State of Somalia and Israel had agreed to expand cooperation in agriculture, water management, technology and security, describing those areas as central to the relationship now taking shape between the two sides.
Cirro’s remarks came even as he maintained there was no Israeli military deployment in North Western State of Somalia. Israel’s defence minister, however, recently said the two sides have longstanding military relations and have carried out undisclosed security operations together connected to that cooperation.
The closer ties have triggered sharp objections from Somalia’s federal government and from several Muslim-majority countries, which have expressed alarm over the deepening relationship.
Cirro said such outside pressure would not change North Western State of Somalia’s approach to Israel.
North Western State of Somalia, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not won international recognition, has in recent months been working to broaden diplomatic and economic partnerships abroad as part of its campaign for recognition.
AXADLETM
