Somalia thanks Türkiye for support in security, counterterrorism

Somalia on Sunday thanked the government and people of Türkiye for their consistent and unwavering support in security cooperation and counterterrorism.

The statement comes after Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre held talks with a visiting senior delegation from Türkiye in the capital Mogadishu on Sunday.

"Prime Minister Hamza expressed deep gratitude to the government and people of Türkiye for their unwavering support, describing Türkiye as a strategic partner that has played a vital role in bolstering Somalia's security, unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," a statement issued by the prime minister's office said after the meeting.

The talks focused on strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations, security cooperation, counterterrorism, and stability of the Horn of Africa region.

The high-level delegation was led by Ali Onaner, director of the Africa Department at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accompanied by Türkiye's Ambassador to Somalia, Alper Aktaş.

Onaner reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to standing by Somalia and pledged to further enhance the collaborative relationship between the two countries.

The Turkish delegation's visit to Somalia comes amid Israeli recognition of Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland.

On Dec. 26, Israel announced that it had officially recognized Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, becoming the only country to do so. The move drew sharp criticism across the region.

Somalia also reaffirmed its firm and non-negotiable commitment to its sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity, rejecting the Israeli move.

Somaliland has operated as a de facto self-governing entity since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, but it has not received international recognition as a sovereign state.