Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Mogadishu on Thursday night to protest Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland, a self-declared region that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but has never previously been formally recognized by another state. Waving Somali flags and chanting patriotic slogans at Taleh Square, protesters said the move undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and risks setting a dangerous precedent in the Horn of Africa. “We are protesting against the division of our country,” said Said Gedi, one of the demonstrators. “Somalia is one nation, and no external decision can change that.”
The protest followed a visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to Hargeysa, Somaliland’s capital, which sparked strong reactions in Mogadishu. Speakers at the rally emphasised shared history, culture and identity between Somaliland and the rest of Somalia, rejecting any attempt to legitimise secession. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud echoed those sentiments in a televised address, stressing that Somalia remains a single, sovereign state. He said Israel’s decision has no legal effect on Somalia’s borders and vowed that the government would defend the country’s territorial integrity through diplomatic means.
Somalia’s foreign ministry has warned that recognising Somaliland could destabilise the region, where borders are already sensitive and contested. More than 20 countries, along with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, have publicly rejected Israel’s move, while several regional and global powers have yet to state their position.
