JERUSALEM: Somaliland’s de facto leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi met his Israeli counterpart on Sunday in Jerusalem in his first-ever state visit, which comes months after Israel officially recognised the breakaway African state. In December, Israel became the first country to recognise the independence of Somaliland since it declared its autonomy from Somalia in 1991 following a civil war. “The visit carries special significance,” said Abdullahi, according to a statement issued by the office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.