Somalia’s Puntland, Somaliland conduct prisoner swap amid thaw in tensions 

In coordinated handover at Hargeisa airport, Somaliland released 11 Puntland prisoners of war, while Puntland freed 15 Somaliland detainees

MOGADISHU, Somalia (MNTV) – The administrations of Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland and the semi-autonomous Puntland on Wednesday conducted a rare and symbolically significant prisoner exchange, signaling a possible easing of months-long tensions over territorial disputes. 

In a carefully coordinated handover at Hargeisa airport, Somaliland released 11 Puntland prisoners of war, while Puntland freed 15 Somaliland detainees.

All were captured during clashes in the contested town of Las Anod in August 2023. 

Dressed in suits and appearing in good health, the released prisoners exchanged handshakes in a visibly choreographed ceremony at Hargeisa airport before Puntland inmates were flown to their respective regional capital—Garowe. 

The swap comes days after Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni expressed willingness to engage in talks with Somaliland’s leadership.

In a notable shift, Deni acknowledged Somaliland’s aspirations for self-determination and called for peaceful coexistence between the two sides. 

The exchange is seen as a confidence-building measure aimed at de-escalating tensions that have periodically flared into armed conflict, particularly around Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn—regions claimed by both sides. 

No formal peace negotiations have been announced, but observers view the gesture as a potential opening for dialogue in a region long fractured by political rivalries and competing territorial claims. 

Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, remains internationally unrecognized, though it operates with its own government and institutions.

Puntland, established in 1998, recognizes Somali federal authority but has tense relations with Mogadishu and some neighboring regions.