By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Somalia, 6 January 2026 Somalia has condemned Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s visit to Somaliland, terming it an "unauthorized incursion" and a blatant violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Saar’s visit to the Somaliland capital, Hargeisa, comes just 11 days after Israel became the first United Nations member state to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent state—a move that has triggered a diplomatic firestorm in the Horn of Africa and the Arab world.
In a sharply worded statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the visit as "unacceptable interference" in its internal affairs.
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"Hargeisa forms an inalienable part of the internationally recognized territory of Somalia," the ministry said. "Any official presence or engagement undertaken within Somali territory without the explicit consent of the Federal Government is illegal, null, and void."
Saar arrived in Hargeisa on Tuesday morning to meet with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, following a "joint and mutual declaration" signed between the two parties on Dec. 26, last year.
Mogadishu has previously called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene, stating it reserves the right to take "all appropriate diplomatic and legal measures" to safeguard its borders.
