The territory on the northwest point of Somalia unilaterally declared independence in 1991 and has been far more stable and peaceful than the rest of the country since then.
Supporters of the ruling Kulmiye party dance and chant party slogans on top of a monument depicting a tank following a final campaign rally in Hargeisa on November 9, 2024, ahead of the 2024 Somaliland presidential election. (AFP)