A coordinated online campaign has emerged on The Times of Israel’s blog platform, featuring an author presenting himself as Mohamed Osman, a retired Canadian physician of Somaliland origin. Throughout January, this individual published 18 nearly identical articles advocating for international recognition of Somaliland’s sovereignty.
The campaign commenced on January 7th with a post titled ‘Recognizing Somaliland Would Be in Canada’s Interest’ and continued with daily publications targeting specific nations and international bodies. The identical format appealed to India, the UK, Ethiopia, European Union, Kenya, Somalia, Arab League, African Union, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Sweden, and Germany, with Canada receiving a second appeal.
Each article contained identical historical context portraying Somaliland as a former British colony with an autonomous government that has maintained stability separate from Somalia. The posts highlighted strategic economic interests, particularly emphasizing the UAE’s DP World investment in Berbera port—recently revealed to be partially British government-owned through foreign investment channels.
Notably, the author emphasized Somaliland’s geopolitical significance along the Bab al-Mandab strait, a critical maritime corridor handling approximately 10% of global trade and substantial European energy supplies. This strategic positioning has attracted international attention, with the UAE maintaining a naval base at Berbera and Israel seeking military presence in the region.
The Times of Israel’s blog disclaimer states that contributed posts represent third-party opinions without editorial endorsement. However, the publication maintains an application process requiring author verification and professional headshots, raising questions about how this coordinated campaign passed editorial vetting.
This publicity surge follows Somaliland’s groundbreaking recognition by Taiwan in late December, which has intensified diplomatic activity including visits by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi’s meetings with Israeli and US officials at Davos.