 By 1988, the SNM moved out of their camps in Ethiopia and began operating in northern Somali republic , the area now known as Somaliland.They even temporarily occupied the provincial capitals of Burao and Hargeysa.They captured government Toyota Land Cruisers turned them into technicals by mounting 12.7 mm and 14.5 mm machineguns, 106 mm recoilless rifles, and BM-21 rocket launchers.