
Somaliland bids for independence

Woman waves flag during celebrations of the 25th anniversary of Somaliland’s declaration of independence in the capital, Hargeisa on May 18, 2016.
Despite the declaration, Somaliland is still considered an autonomous region of Somalia by the United Nations. But President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo is pushing hard for recognition of full sovereignty.

Somali money changer next to piles of banknotes on a busy street in Hargeisa.

Somaliland military personnel march on independence day. The region spends heavily on its army and navy but is operating under a UN arms embargo.

Hargeisa War Memorial in Freedom Square features a representation of a Russian fighter jet used to bomb the city by former dictator Mohamed Siyad Barre, who was overthrown in 1991.

Downtown Hargeisa in the week before the independence day celebrations. The fast-growing city is home to almost a million residents. Somaliland is considered a relatively safe haven as the rest of Somalia remains plagued by conflict.

Loading cargo ship at the Port of Berbera on December 5, 2015. The main exports from Somaliland are livestock to the Gulf countries Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Qatar.



A man purchases a bundle of the narcotic plant khat, which is hugely popular in Hargeisa.

In ten caves in Laas Geel, Somali for ‘camel watering hole’, outside Hargeisa, vivid depictions afford a peek at a pastoralist history dating back some 5,000 years or more. The paintings were discovered in 2002 by a French archeology team and have since been protected to stem looting after their value became apparent to locals who previously feared they were the work of evil spirits.
The paintings have also become a leading attraction of Somaliland’s fledgling tourism industry.

Toyota importers for Somaliland at the Hargeisa International Trade Fair

A woman casts her ballot during the 2010 elections that saw President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyoon elected.
Somaliland closed its borders during voting amid fears that terrorists from neighboring Somalia could try to disrupt the polls, after warnings from the al-Shebab movement.
SOURCE:CNN reports Somaliland bids for independence