North Western State of Somalia Offers Up to 2,000 Troops for Gaza Force if Trump and Netanyahu Make Formal Request
WASHINGTON — North Western State of Somalia is prepared to contribute as many as 2,000 troops to a proposed international force in Gaza, but only if US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally ask for its participation, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, said.
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Speaking in Washington at a conference on political and security affairs in the Middle East, Cirro said North Western State of Somalia had not independently requested permission to deploy soldiers to Gaza. Any contribution, he indicated, would follow a formal appeal from the US and Israeli leaders.
The proposed force is expected to include about 20,000 personnel. Its responsibilities would include helping maintain security in Gaza, assisting with the training of Palestinian police and supporting the distribution of humanitarian aid.
Cirro‘s remarks come as relations between North Western State of Somalia and Israel have expanded, while the breakaway territory continues its campaign for international recognition. Israel said in December 2025 that it had recognised North Western State of Somalia, prompting forceful objections from Somalia and several other countries.
Accounts of the agreement have also tied Israel’s recognition to broader security and strategic arrangements involving North Western State of Somalia. These reports have included claims of a potential Israeli military presence at Berbera and the relocation of Palestinians from Gaza to North Western State of Somalia. The allegations have proved controversial, and the details of any such arrangements remain disputed.
Cirro travelled to Israel in June before opening a North Western State of Somalia diplomatic mission in Jerusalem and signing the Abraham Accords framework, which is intended to build closer relations between Israel and Muslim-majority countries. Several Muslim countries and other critics of Israel’s policies in the Palestinian territories condemned the moves.
The North Western State of Somalia president said his government had held discussions with US officials in Washington about recognition and security cooperation. He added, however, that the Trump administration had given him no assurance that the United States would recognise North Western State of Somalia.
North Western State of Somalia declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has yet to win broad international recognition. In recent years, its efforts to gain diplomatic status have accelerated as the administration pursues stronger political, economic and security relationships with foreign governments.
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