Hargeisa: Sunatimes.com: Voters in the semi-autonomous region of Somaliland that declared itself an independent state from Somalia has started with thousands of its citizens expected to vote for three candidates of the competing parties.

The Soamlilanders have started queuing early in the morning to participate in the third independent and free democratic elections. Local and international observers have also positioned themselves in different polling station to keep an eye on the process as the security has been tightened by Somaliland security agencies to prevent any violence that may erupt.

The current president, Dahir Riyale Kahin has worn the first multi-party elections in 2003 with a margin of just 80 votes. The current elections were delayed three times before the decision to hold the elections on this day that concurs with the day the region achieved its independence from the British colony was made.

There is no any reported violence so far and most of the polling stations remain calm. The election campaigns that ended yesterday were also carried out on different times to ensure that the supporters of different parties do not clash.