Voting is underway in Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland in a key presidential election that was delayed for two years and comes as the Horn of Africa region is experiencing political tension.

Over 1 million registered voters cast their ballots at around 2,000 polling stations, and the Somaliland National Electoral Commission (NEC) began vote counting soon after. Results are expected by November 21,

The Somaliland region goes to the polls on Wednesday in its sixth presidential election. The region, legally a part of Somalia, unilaterally declared independence in 1993 but has not been recognised by any other sovereign State.

Voters in Somaliland went to the polls for the fourth presidential election since 1991 amid heightened tension between Somalia and Ethiopia over a controversial maritime deal