LAS ANOD — Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called upon Somaliland’s leadership to terminate their recent ties with Israel and reintegrate with the nation, expressing willingness to make substantial concessions for unity while firmly rejecting any international recognition of Somaliland as an independent entity.
Speaking during the Saturday inauguration ceremony of Abdulkadir Ahmed Aw Ali as president of the newly recognized North Eastern State, President Mohamud appealed to authorities in Hargeisa to return to the fold and assume national leadership positions within a unified Somalia. He emphasized his readiness to compromise on political issues, with the sole exception of secession, which he deemed non-negotiable.
Warning on External Influence
The President strongly criticized Somaliland officials regarding their disparate treatment of visitors. He expressed bewilderment at what he described as favorable treatment for Israelis compared to the arrest of Somali citizens who carry the national flag while visiting Hargeisa.
Addressing reports of Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, President Mohamud issued a stern warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He stated that Israel would not succeed in creating what he characterized as a “proxy state” within Somalia, affirming that the Federal Government would not permit any governing body on its soil to engage in hostile activities.
“I declare clearly to Netanyahu that Israel cannot establish within Somalia any administration pursuing its malicious agendas,” the President added.
Call for De-escalation and Regional Shift
In a move aimed at reducing tensions, President Mohamud demanded that both Somaliland authorities and the administration in Las Anod release hundreds of detainees held by each side following recent conflicts.
His comments emerge amid growing friction between the Federal Government and Hargeisa, a situation that has intensified since reports of Israel’s acknowledgment of the self-declared republic. In a notable symbolic gesture, President Mohamud, accompanied by high-ranking government officials and ambassadors from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan, visited Lasanod, a city Somaliland claims as its territory.
According to officials, the high-profile visit aimed to illustrate that Somaliland no longer encompasses the entire former British protectorate, with Sool and portions of the Sanaag region now aligned with a federally supported member state. Authorities have also indicated interest in supporting new administrative formations in the Awdal region, encouraging local inhabitants to exercise their right to self-determination within the federal framework.
