More than three decades after Somaliland claimed independence from Somalia, Israel became the first country to recognize its separation. It was a long road to get here. In the 19th century, the land that is now Somaliland was colonized by Britain, while Italy controlled the rest of Somali territory. Somaliland then briefly declared independence in 1960 during the wave of decolonization, before uniting with Somalia as the Somali Republic. In 1981, militias from Somaliland coalesced to form the Somali National Movement and fight the oppressive government in Mogadishu led by Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre. The Somaliland Independence War ended in 1991 when Barre’s regime fell and the SNM declared the unilateral secession of the Republic of Somaliland.