No talks to establish Israeli military base in Somaliland, defence minister says

Somaliland's Defence Minister has denied reports of Israel establishing a military base in the territory, stating that Israel only trains Somaliland's military and police.

There is no Israeli military presence in Somaliland and no talks ‌about Israel opening a base there, Somaliland's Defence Minister Mohamed Yusuf Ali told Reuters on Wednesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a business conference ‌in Tel Aviv, he said Israel was training Somaliland's military and police, ‌but dismissed reports that Israel was in negotiations to establish a military base in the territory as "rumours". Michael Lotem, Israel's ambassador to Somaliland, declined to comment. Strategically situated ⁠on ​the Horn ⁠of Africa, Somaliland has enjoyed effective autonomy—and relative peace and stability—since 1991, when it broke ⁠away from Somalia as that country descended into civil war.

Israel recognised Somaliland ​as an independent state last December, the first country to ⁠formally do so, in a move Somalia rejected and termed a "deliberate attack" on ⁠its ​sovereignty. In February, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi told Reuters that while Somaliland hopes for future military cooperation with Israel, establishing Israeli ⁠military bases had not been discussed. The Somali Guardian reported on Sunday that ⁠Israel had opened ⁠an intelligence base in Somaliland and there were discussions over the possible establishment of an Israeli military ‌base.