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Somaliland is prepared to grant the United States access to its mineral resources and military bases, a senior minister says, as the breakaway Somali region pursues international recognition.

“We are willing to give exclusive [access to our minerals] to the United States. Also, we are open to offer military bases to the United States,” Khadar Hussein Abdi, minister of the presidency, told the AFP news agency in an interview on Saturday.

“We believe that we will agree on something with the United States.”

Israel became the only country in the world to recognise Somaliland’s independence in December, something the territory has been seeking since declaring its autonomy from Somalia in 1991.

The region seceded from Somalia during a civil war that followed the more than two-decade hardline rule of President Siad Barre, whose forces devastated the north.

While large parts of Somalia descended into chaos, Somaliland stabilised by the late 1990s.

The US has yet to signal a major shift on the question of Somaliland.

But in August, US President Donald Trump, who had previously lobbed insults at Somalia and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, suggested he was preparing to move on the issue when asked about Somaliland during a White House news conference.

Somalia has denounced Israel’s recognition as an attack on its territorial integrity and unity, a position backed by most African and Arab leaders, and has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw the recognition.

But Somaliland’s leader, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, has welcomed Israel’s diplomatic move, praising Netanyahu for his “leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace” in the region.

Cirro in recent weeks had already suggested granting Israel privileged access to its mineral resources. Meanwhile, Hussein Abdi said he could not rule out the possibility of also allowing Israel to set up a military presence.

Somaliland lies across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where Houthi rebels have often attacked Israeli assets to show solidarity with Palestinians.

Pakistan says it has launched strikes on armed groups in Afghanistan after blaming recent suicide bombings, including attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on fighters it says are operating from its neighbour’s territory.

Kabul has repeatedly denied allowing armed groups to use Afghan territory to stage attacks in Pakistan.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence on Sunday said “dozens of innocent civilians, including women and children, were martyred and wounded” when strikes hit a school and homes in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika.

Nangarhar police told the AFP news agency the bombardment started about midnight (19:30 GMT on Saturday) and hit three districts.

“Civilians were killed. In one house, there were 23 family members. Five wounded people were taken out,” police spokesperson Sayed Tayeeb Hammad said.

The Afghan Defence Ministry said it will “deliver an appropriate and calculated response” to the Pakistani strikes.

The two countries have been locked in an increasingly bitter dispute since the Taliban authorities retook control of Afghanistan in 2021.

Pakistani military action killed 70 Afghan civilians from October to December, according to the United Nations mission in Afghanistan.

Several rounds of negotiations followed an initial ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkiye, but they have failed to produce a lasting agreement.

Saudi Arabia intervened this month, mediating the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured by Afghanistan in October.

The deteriorating relationship has had repercussions for people in both countries with the land border largely closed for months.

Ryan Garcia has won the WBC welterweight title with a dominant unanimous decision over Mario Barrios.

Garcia dropped Barrios in the opening seconds on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada, and controlled the fight with sharp combinations. The 27-year-old stayed patient after the early knockdown and turned more conservative late with a big lead.

The judges scored the fight 119-108, 120-107 and 118-109 for Garcia (25-2, 20 knockouts) of Victorville, California. The Associated Press news agency had it 119-109.

“It feels good to finally be a world champion,” Garcia said. “It’s something I’ve been dreaming of since I was seven years old.”

Garcia already has begun to turn to his future, looking at WBO super lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson and saying he wanted him next.

This was the second underwhelming bout in a row for Barrios (29-3-2, 18 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas, after he was fortunate to escape with a majority draw victory over Manny Pacquiao in July.

The win capped a turbulent stretch for Garcia, including a suspension, fines and other controversies.

In the co-main event, Gary Antuanne Russell kept his title against Andy Hiraoka.