History of Puntland: a timeline from the sultanates to 2026

Show who took part and what each event meant for unity ## In short

This page puts the history of the north-east, the area of today's Puntland State of Somalia, in date order. Each line links to a full page with its sources. For the state today, see Puntland.

Before 1991

1500 to 1884

1. 1800s

   The Majeerteen Sultanate and the Sultanate of Hobyo ruled the north-eastern coast and signed treaties with Italy in 1889, and kept governing themselves until Italy ended both by force in 1925–1927. Italy's agent Vincenzo Filonardi sought these arrangements (Library of Congress, "Imperial partition"). See the Majeerteen and Hobyo sultanates.

1884 to 1920

1. 1899–1920

   The Dervish movement built its stone capital at Taleh, in today's Sool. See the Dervish movement.

1969 to 1991

1. 1978–1981

   The Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF), the first of the armed movements against Siad Barre, was formed. See the armed movements, 1978–1991.

1998: the Garowe conferences

From the UN Secretary-General's report of August 1999 (UN Security Council, S/1999/882, para. 18):

1991 to 2000

1. 20 February 1998

   Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf told the UN that his priority was "an administrative structure for the North-East regions at the local level as a constituent unit of a future Somali state".

2. 25 February – 4 March 1998

   "The Majerteens, the majority clan in North-East Somalia, held a meeting, together with other smaller clans, at Garowe." It approved "a single regional administration".

3. 10–12 March 1998

   A meeting "which included delegates from Sool and Sanaag, agreed to give the name 'Puntland State' to the new regional administration".

4. 23 July 1998

   The Garowe constitutional conference elected Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed President and Mohamed Abdi Hashi Vice-President, "endorsed an interim charter and established a 69-member parliament". The result was challenged by the SSDF chairman, General Mohamed Abshir Musse, and the traditional leader Boqor Abdullahi Boqor Musse.

2001–2002: the crisis over the mandate

2000 to 2012

1. June 2001

   The administration's mandate under the Transitional Charter of 30 June 1998 expired on 30 June 2001. Instead of holding elections, the House of Representatives voted on 27 June to extend its own and the executive's terms by three years. "The Chairman of the Supreme Court declared the extension unconstitutional" and assumed office as interim President; Colonel Yusuf suspended him on 29 June (S/2001/963, paras. 23–24).

2. 26 August 2001

   A conference of over 400 delegates from all five regions opened in Garowe. Colonel Yusuf called it illegal and named Galkayo his interim capital (same source). On 5 and 6 August, fighting between his forces and the Supreme Court chairman's moved UN staff from Bosaso to Hargeisa (para. 52).

3. 14 November 2001

   The conference elected Jama Ali Jama, "a former member of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front and a well-known opponent of Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf". Yusuf "rejected the outcome and returned with his forces to Garowe" (S/2002/189, para. 7).

4. May 2002

   Yusuf's forces entered Bosaso "meeting almost no resistance"; Jama Ali Jama "fled to Las Anod" (S/2002/709, para. 8).

2004 to 2012

1. October 2004

   Abdullahi Yusuf was elected President of Somalia by the Transitional Federal Parliament. See the Transitional Federal Parliament.

2. 26 December 2004

   The Indian Ocean tsunami killed about 300 people in Somalia, most on the Hafun peninsula. See the 2004 tsunami.

3. 15 October 2007

   "After heavy fighting which resulted in at least 10 deaths, 'Somaliland' troops took control of Laascaanood", the capital of Sool. "Puntland" mobilised "to repel what they considered an invasion" (S/2007/658, para. 14).

4. 29 October 2008

   Suicide bombings hit Bosaso and Hargeisa. See the Hargeisa and Bosaso bombings.

5. Mid-2000s to 2012

   Hijackings were launched from the coasts of Mudug, Nugaal and Bari, peaking in 2009–2011. See piracy off Somalia.

2012 to now

2012 to 2020

1. 2019

   Said Abdullahi Deni became President. For all office-holders, see presidents of Puntland.

2020 to now

1. February 2022

   Al-Shabaab bombed a tea shop in Bosaso "reportedly targeting elders involved in the electoral process", and two days later attacked Deni's convoy (S/2022/392, para. 17).

2. 2023

   Direct local council elections were held in 30 districts. Dhulbahante communities in Las Anod and Sool, part of the area Puntland claims, joined the federation as what is now North Eastern State. See elections in Puntland and North Eastern State.

3. 31 March 2024

   Puntland said it no longer recognised the federal government's authority after changes to the national constitution. See Puntland.

Who suffered?

1. People of Bosaso and Garowe,

   caught in the fighting of 2001–2002 (S/2001/963; S/2002/709).

2. People of Las Anod and Sool,

   in the fighting of 2007 and later (S/2007/658).

3. People of the Hafun peninsula,

   in the 2004 tsunami.

4. Migrants leaving from Bosaso

   In September 2007 alone, 14 boats carrying more than 1,500 people reached Yemen, "with 62 reported dead or missing" (S/2007/658, para. 47).

Sources differ

1. The founding date

   The UN dates the election of the first President to 23 July 1998. Puntland marks 1 August 1998. See Puntland.

Read the primary sources yourself

• UN Secretary-General, reports on Somalia: S/1999/882 (16 August 1999), PDF; S/2001/963, PDF; S/2002/189, PDF; S/2002/709, PDF; S/2007/658, PDF.