Report Claims Israeli Troops Secretly Deployed to Somaliland

A senior Somali government official has claimed that Israel secretly deployed a small contingent of troops to Somaliland earlier this year following its recognition of the breakaway territory. According to a report cited by the Middle East Eye news website, around 50 Israeli personnel were sent to Somaliland shortly after Israel became the first country to recognize the territory as an independent and sovereign state in December 2025.

The Somali official alleged that the Israeli military selected soldiers of African heritage, particularly those with Ethiopian backgrounds, in an effort to avoid attracting attention and to blend more easily with local communities. The claims were reportedly based on Somali intelligence assessments. No independent verification of the alleged deployment has been publicly presented.

The report comes amid growing scrutiny of relations between Israel and Somaliland. On June 17, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz acknowledged that Israel and Somaliland had maintained covert security cooperation for years. The reported deployment, if confirmed, would mark a significant development in the relationship and could have broader implications for regional politics in the Horn of Africa.