TEL AVIV: Israel has no base in Somaliland but is training its police and military forces, Somaliland's Defence Minister Mohamed Yusuf Ali said on Wednesday, as the breakaway territory appealed for Israeli investment in agriculture and other sectors.
Yusuf Ali was part of a large delegation to Israel this week to mark Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi's first official visit, after Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent state in December.
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.
Somalia rejected Israel's recognition of Somaliland and termed it a "deliberate attack" on its sovereignty.
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.
Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of a business conference in Tel Aviv, Yusuf Ali dismissed reports that Israel was in negotiations to establish a military base in the territory as "rumours".
"There is no Israeli military presence or military bases in Somaliland," he said. "But Israel is helping Somaliland ... they are supporting to train some of our police and military."
Michael Lotem, Israel's ambassador to Somaliland, declined to comment. Israel has said its recognition was not a hostile step toward Somalia.
Several countries have questioned whether the move was aimed at establishing military bases in a location where Israel could counter Yemen's Ansar Allah, who fired rockets at Israel during the two-year Gaza war and whose attacks on vessels in the Red Sea disrupted shipping there. — AFP
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