Israels

Red Sea flashpoint: Israel’s North Western State of Somalia recognition collides with Türkiye’s long game in Somalia In the strategic waters that link the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, two storylines are converging with destabilizing force. Israel’s December 2025 recognition of North Western State of Somalia, the breakaway region abutting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, has injected a new geopolitical shock into a corridor already strained by Houthi attacks on commercial shipping and retaliatory Israeli airstrikes in Yemen. The…

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State on Tuesday issued its first public response to Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, rejecting any move that further fragments Somalia and reaffirming its commitment to a unified federal system. Puntland State Minister of Information Mahamud Aydid Dirir said the northeastern federal member state stands by the principles on which it was founded and will continue to support the development of an effective Somali federal government. He framed Israel’s…

ISTANBUL — Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s unexpected recognition of North Western State of Somalia risks destabilizing the Horn of Africa and could be tied to attempts to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, escalating tensions across a strategic maritime corridor linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday from Istanbul, where he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mohamud said Israel’s move was “not merely a diplomatic gesture but a cover for…

Thursday January 1, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government on Wednesday thanked its international partners for what it called steadfast support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity after Israel became the first nation to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, a move that has drawn widespread condemnation. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said allied countries had shown “principled engagement and unwavering solidarity” at a critical moment for…

Thursday January 1, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s government on Wednesday thanked its international partners for what it called steadfast support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity after Israel became the first nation to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, a move drawing swift condemnation across capitals. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised allied nations for “principled engagement and unwavering solidarity” at what it described as a critical…

Malaysia’s Anwar condemns Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, warns against forced transfer of Palestinians MOGADISHU — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday condemned Israel’s decision to recognize the self-declared Somali region of North Western State of Somalia, linking the move to what he described as plans for the forced transfer of Palestinians, according to Anadolu Agency. Speaking at a news conference, Anwar said the maneuver violates international law and humanitarian principles.…

Somalia’s president warns Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia could inflame Horn of Africa ISTANBUL — Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia risks importing Middle East tensions into a “very volatile region,” saying his government will not accept an Israeli presence in the breakaway northern territory. “We have never attacked Israel. We have never created a problem for Israel. We don't want Israel to come to us and bring their problem to…

Somalia staged one of its largest nationwide demonstrations in years on Tuesday as tens of thousands rallied against Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, a move that Mogadishu and more than 20 other countries condemned as an assault on Somalia’s sovereignty. The protests came as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aimed at shoring up diplomatic support. Mass gatherings were reported in Mogadishu, Baidoa, Guriel, Dhusamareeb, Lasanod and Buhoodle,…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia could destabilize the Horn of Africa and carry implications for Palestinians in Gaza, calling the move “unexpected and strange” after three decades of nonrecognition by any country. In an interview with Al Jazeera from Istanbul, Türkiye, on Tuesday, Mohamud said Somali intelligence indicates North Western State of Somalia agreed to three Israeli conditions in exchange for recognition: accepting the resettlement of…

African bloc on UN Security Council condemns Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, urges reversal UNITED NATIONS — The three African members of the UN Security Council — Algeria, Sierra Leone and Somalia — joined by Guyana, sharply condemned Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, calling the move a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and a threat to regional stability. In a joint statement delivered at an emergency Security Council session on Monday, Somalia’s…