ANKARA

Somalia on Friday strongly rejected what it described as an unlawful step by Israel to recognize its breakaway region, Somaliland, as an independent state, calling the move a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a press release, the Office of the Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s “absolute and non-negotiable commitment to its sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity,” citing Somalia’s Provisional Constitution, the UN Charter, and the African Union’s Constitutive Act as its legal foundation.

“The Federal Government of Somalia categorically and unequivocally rejects the deliberate attack to its sovereignty and the unlawful step by Israel purporting to recognize the northern region of Somalia,” the statement said.

It emphasized that the “Somaliland Region is an integral, inseparable, and inalienable part of the sovereign territory” of Somalia.

“No external actor has the authority or standing to alter its unity or territorial configuration,” it added, warning that “any declaration, recognition, or arrangement” challenging this status is “null, void, and without any legal or political effect under international law.”

The government also reiterated its support for Palestinian rights, saying Somalia “firmly rejects occupation, forced displacement, demographic engineering, and settlement expansion.”

“Somalia will never accept making the Palestinian people stateless,” the statement said.

It also warned against the establishment of foreign military bases that could drag the country into “proxy conflicts or import regional and international hostilities.”

The statement said actions like Tel Aviv’s recognition risk “undermining regional peace and stability” and “exacerbating political and security tensions” in the Horn of Africa, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.

It warned such moves could “create enabling conditions for terrorist groups to exploit political instability.”

The Somali government urged the international community to “act responsibly” and respect international law and the principles of non-interference.

It also called on Somali citizens to remain “united, vigilant, and resolute” in defending the nation’s sovereignty and borders.

The government affirmed it would pursue “all necessary diplomatic, political, and legal measures” to defend its internationally recognized borders.

Earlier today, Israel recognized Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent sovereign state.

Somaliland, which has lacked official recognition since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, operates as a de facto independent administrative, political, and security entity, with the central government unable to assert control over the region, and its leadership unable to secure international recognition of independence.

The Somali government refuses to recognize Somaliland as an independent state, considers it an integral part of its territory, and views any direct deals or engagement with it as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and unity.