By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Washington, 15 September 2026 Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has said information received from partners indicates a cooperative relationship between Al-Shabaab and the Houthis in Yemen, while stressing Somaliland is not at war with Yemen or any of the country's rival factions.
Irro made the remarks on Monday in Washington during an address at the Hudson Institute, where he spoke about Somaliland's security concerns and its approach to relations with neighbouring countries.
"As far as some of the reports we get from our partners say, there is a cooperation of Al-Shabaab and Houthis," Irro said.
He said Somaliland's policy is to live peacefully with its neighbours, including Yemen, but remains alert to potential threats from across the Gulf of Aden.
"We have not been at war with them, and we are not at war with them now, but we feel the threat," he said.
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For Somaliland, the priority is to remain vigilant while avoiding direct confrontation with Yemen's competing factions, he said.
"We are on alert of any threat coming from that direction," he said.
Irro did not provide further details about the nature of the alleged cooperation or the specific intelligence underpinning the assessment.
Yemen remains divided between the internationally recognized government and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which controls large parts of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. Houthi attacks and threats against shipping in the Red Sea have drawn international military responses and heightened security concerns along one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.
Al-Shabaab remains one of Somalia's most prominent armed groups and has waged an insurgency against the Somali government and its international and regional partners. The group is affiliated with al-Qaeda.