Somaliland President: ‘Ready to Send 2,000 Troops to Gaza’

Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi announced that his country is prepared to send up to 2,000 troops to the international stabilization force planned to operate in the Gaza Strip. In an interview with the Jerusalem Post on the sidelines of the MEAD conference, the president made clear that Somaliland is waiting for an official request from Israel or the United States.

“If asked, we can provide troops,” Abdullahi said. According to him, Somaliland is not currently offering to join the force on its own initiative, but is prepared to do so if it receives a request: “If I am asked, I am ready.”

If such a request is made and Somaliland approves sending forces, it would become the second African country, after Uganda, to do so. Uganda’s parliament granted President Yoweri Museveni the authority to send troops as part of the International Stabilization Force (ISF). Uganda, like Somaliland, is considered a friend of Israel, has committed to sending about 1,200 soldiers and has begun the process of selecting forces for the mission. Albania, Kazakhstan, and Kosovo have also pledged to send military forces.

The international stabilization force is expected to include about 20,000 troops. Its missions will include maintaining security in the Strip, training Palestinian police officers, assisting with the transfer of humanitarian aid, and preventing Hamas from reestablishing its military control in Gaza.