Drawing on its history as a sultanate, Sanaag declared independence in July, renamed itself Maakhir, and chose Badhan as its capital. Tension between Maakhir and Puntland is high.
A still worse headache for Puntland is the departure of its strongman, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, to become president of Somalia. He ran Puntland with authority and ambition, grandiosely hoping to turn it into the Horn of Africa's Dubai. When he went south, he took with him a lot of Puntland troops, vehicles, weapons and ammunition. Their departure emboldened other northerners with dreams of secession or autonomy, and may give Somaliland the edge if the dispute over Sool leads to war. (The Economist, [UK], 6/10)
Maakhir consists of four districts of Sanaag, one of the regions of Somaliland claimed by Puntland; the other is Sool.
The Badhan, Erigayo, Dhahar and Laasqorey districts are dominated by the Warsengeli
