A Dir-dominated movement in Awdal province also threatens to form its own administration if the secessionist Somaliland region's self-declared independence is officially recognized.

However, the region's self-declared independence remains unrecognized by any country or international organization.

Having declared its independence on 18 May 1991, the region's self-declared independence remains unrecognized by any country or international organization.

A year ago, President Boris Yeltsin ordered thousands of troops into Chechnya, a small, mainly Muslim southern republic, to end its three years of self-declared independence.

The country's self-declared independence remains unrecognised by the international community.

Having established its own local government in 1991, the region's self-declared independence remains unrecognized by any country or international organization.

This week marks the 20th anniversary of Somaliland's self-declared independence.

More than 40 years later voters in the territory overwhelmingly backed its self-declared independence in a 2001 referendum.

Since President Boris N. Yeltsin sent thousands of troops 14 months ago to end Chechnya's three years of self-declared independence, an estimated 30,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed.

It has reminded Moscow of the folly of using force, restated U.S. support for Lithuanian self-determination and avoided recognizing Lithuania's self-declared independence.