Voters in the self-declared republic of Somaliland queued for hours on Saturday to vote in the region's second presidential election.

Three men, Dahir Riyale Kahin, Ahmed Mohamud Silanyo and Feysal Ali Warabe, are vying to become president of the unrecognised region, a haven of relative peace in the northwest of Somalia.

Polls closed at 1500GMT, and results are expected within one week.

There were no reports of any serious violence or electoral fraud.

Al-Shabab, the Somali armed group, warned voters to stay away from the polls or "face the consequences". The Somaliland government closed the border with Somalia in response.

"All our country's forces are locking the borders. Movements and transport inside Somaliland are also forbidden except for those authorised by the national election commission," Mohamed Saqadi Dubad, a police chief, said.

'Slow start'

Al Jazeera's Mohamed Adow, reporting from a polling station in Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital, said voting got "off to a painstakingly slow start" on Saturday morning.

He said voters began gathering at polling stations before dawn, with queues stretching into neighbouring roads.

"The president, after he cast his vote, told the people gathered here and the media that these elections are very crucial to the future of Somaliland," Adow said.

"[President Kahin] said recognition of Somaliland as an independent state, as an independent republic, is on the way."

Many voters share the candidates' and president's hopes for statehood and expect the election to bring Somaliland more respect.

"This election means a bridge to international recognition and it will show the world that Somaliland is practising democracy," Hussein Abdullahi Bulhan, the head of Hargeisa University, said.

Hopes for peace

More than a million people were registered to vote at more than 1,000 polling sites, which were monitored by dozens of international observers.

Steve Kibble, an observer with the British organisation Progressio, said before the ballot his group was encouraged that residents wanted to carry out a peaceful election that is recognised nationally and internationally.

"At this stage, we expect that such an outcome can be achieved," Kibble said.

Kahin, leader of the Democratic United National party, or Udub, was elected president in the first president election in 2003, with 42.08 per cent of ballots cast in an election won by 80 votes.

Somaliland's second presidential election has been frequently delayed. It was first scheduled for 2008, and then for 2009.

Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 and has been
relatively peaceful and stable compared with the rest of Somalia, which
descended into anarchy following the 1991 ouster of longtime ruler, Mohamed
Siad Barre.

The region has its own security and police forces, justice system and currency, however it is not recognised by any other state.