Israel has expanded its security cooperation with Somaliland, including the training and equipping of security personnel, according to Israeli and British media reports.
Israeli state radio reported that security ties between Israel and Somaliland have strengthened steadily in recent years. The report said Israeli authorities are involved in training and supporting security forces in the region.
According to The Telegraph, 50 members of Somaliland’s special forces recently returned home after completing military training programmes in Israel.
The newspaper said security cooperation has become a central component of the growing relationship between the two sides, citing Somaliland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden and its proximity to the Red Sea shipping lanes and the Yemeni coast.
Israeli state radio reported that Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdullahi had been expected to visit Israel in March, but the trip was postponed indefinitely due to regional developments.
The reports come months after Israel recognised Somaliland in December 2025. The move was rejected by the federal government of Somalia and drew criticism from several regional and international actors.
According to The Telegraph, Somaliland’s geographic position gives it significant geopolitical importance, particularly in relation to maritime security and trade routes linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
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