For the first time, the secessionist state of Somaliland has been officially recognised by another state, namely Israel. It's a blow for the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who managed to organise local elections despite growing pressure from the Islamist group al-Shabaab. RFI spoke to Matt Bryden, a strategic advisor at the Sahan Research centre in Nairobi, about the state of play and what's behind Israel's recognition of Somaliland.
Al-Shabaab ("The Youth") rose to prominence in Somalia in the early 2000s and aims to establish a "Greater Somalia", joining ethnic Somalis across East Africa under strict Islamic rule.
