By Zamzam Osman - Reporter
Hargeisa – Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro said there are no plans for Israel to establish a military base in Somaliland, but he cannot rule out the possibility in the future.
In an interview with i24NEWS, President Irro was asked about the possibility of Israel establishing a military base in Somaliland in the future. He responded that such an arrangement is not currently under consideration. However, when asked whether it could happen in the future, he said that he could not rule out the possibility.
“Not now… I cannot rule it out,” the Somaliland president summarized in his response.
The president's remarks have sparked debate about the nature of future relations between Somaliland and Israel, particularly given Somaliland's strategic location and the Port of Berbera, which sits along the vital shipping routes of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
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Many analysts point out that Berbera occupies a strategically important position for maritime security. Since late 2023, Yemen's Houthi movement has launched multiple attacks on vessels it claims are linked to Israel, increasing concerns about security along the Red Sea shipping corridor.
The Somali government and several regional experts have previously warned that the establishment of an Israeli military base in Somaliland could create new security tensions and instability in the Horn of Africa.
So far, Somaliland has not announced any official plans to host an Israeli military base. Nevertheless, President Irro's statement that the idea is not being considered now, but cannot be ruled out in the future, has intensified discussions about Somaliland's foreign policy direction and its potential role in the security architecture of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.