6/23/2025
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Somaliland defies Puntland, holds exams in disputed Sanaag region
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    Sunday June 22, 2025


    FILE - Students sit for national exams at a school. Somaliland authorities administered the tests in areas claimed by Puntland, defying a ban issued by Puntland officials. 

    Hargiesa (HOL) — Somaliland authorities have conducted national school exams in eastern Sanaag, escalating tensions in a region contested by Puntland, which had explicitly banned the tests.

    The exams for secondary school and eighth-grade students began on Saturday in Badhan, Dhahar, and other towns, despite a directive from Puntland’s regional governor prohibiting any Somaliland-led education initiatives in areas under Puntland administration.

    Armed personnel from eastern Sanaag provided security at exam centers, while local Somaliland-aligned politicians are reported to have facilitated logistics and ensured the tests took place.

    Efforts by Puntland officials to stop the exams faltered when an attempt to disrupt testing in Badhan failed over the weekend. Following the confrontation, Puntland withdrew its enforcement teams, though no clashes were reported.

    Puntland’s Minister of Education, Fuad Abshir Adeer, blamed regional politicians from Sanaag for coordinating with Somaliland’s Ministry of Education. “These officials are undermining Puntland’s sovereignty by enabling Somaliland’s agenda in our territory,” he said earlier this week.

    In a sign of heightened political concern, Puntland Parliament Speaker Abdirizak Ahmed Qareje travelled to Dhahar on Sunday. His visit comes as the 56th session of the Puntland Parliament continues in Garowe, where he would ordinarily preside.

    Qareje, who serves as Puntland’s top representative for Sanaag and Haylaan, is reportedly seeking to rally local leaders and restore Puntland’s authority in the area.

    The dispute over educational jurisdiction reflects a deeper territorial rivalry between Puntland and Somaliland, who both claim sovereignty over Sanaag and Sool. While Puntland administers large portions of the region, Somaliland continues to assert its authority through state services, including education and security deployments.

    The ongoing exams mark a significant symbolic advance for Somaliland in contested areas, raising broader questions about governance, legitimacy, and the limits of Puntland’s influence in the north.

     





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