By HAN News Desk
MOGADISHU — Somalia’s defense minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi has confirmed that the federal government has firmly rejected a request from Israel to host refugees displaced from Gaza, describing the proposal as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty, internal affairs, and national security.
Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said in an interview with Al Ghad television that the Somali government made its position clear to Israel, stressing that Somalia will not accept any plan that undermines its political independence or territorial integrity.
“This matter directly concerns Somalia’s internal policy, national security, and unity,” Fiqi said. “The government of Somalia has unequivocally رفضed this request.”
The minister further accused Israel of exploiting the political situation in Somaliland, the self-declared region in northern Somalia, to advance what he described as a plan to relocate Gaza refugees. He warned that any such move raises serious political and legal concerns under international law.
Fiqi said the reported plan has generated widespread concern and condemnation, emphasizing that Somaliland remains part of Somalia under international law and that no external actor has the right to negotiate or implement arrangements involving Somali territory without the consent of the federal government.
He urged the international community to respect Somalia’s sovereignty and unity and to refrain from interfering in the country’s internal affairs.
Also, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre echoed these concerns in a separate interview, stating that Israel intends to land refugees in the port city of Berbera, a move he said Somalia would not accept under any circumstances.
“Any attempt to use Somali territory, including Berbera, for such purposes is unacceptable,” the prime minister said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to defending Somalia’s territorial integrity.
Somalia has consistently rejected any international initiatives it says bypass the federal government or threaten the country’s unity, particularly amid ongoing regional and geopolitical tensions linked to the war in Gaza.
