Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has affirmed that his country "will not accept any Israeli presence" on its territory, in remarks aired by Al Jazeera on Saturday.
"We will not accept under any circumstance an Israeli presence in our country," the Somali president said, adding: "Attempts to transfer Middle East crises to us will not succeed, and we will overcome the challenge of Israeli moves."
He stressed that "Israel's plan is to establish a naval base in Berbera and use the city's airport," explaining that "the real goal of Israeli moves is to approach Gulf states and Iran."
He also affirmed that the people of Somaliland themselves "completely oppose the Israeli presence."
The remarks come 10 months after Israel recognized the breakaway region of "Somaliland," which has the strategic port of Berbera on the Red Sea, while Mogadishu does not recognize the region's secession and considers it a key part of its territory.
Demonstrations were held earlier in several parts of Somalia and the breakaway region in rejection of the Israeli recognition and presence in the country.
