https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10437-015-9184-9
Here is Dr Mire's 2015 paper mapping the archaeology of Somaliland. She finds ancient Christian and Jewish items in villages around Aw Barkhadle; that much of the area of the North was controlled by Axum at one point; that the inscriptions are in scripts from Himyar and Saba and the area is part of a larger, regional culture. These are concepts that are especially unattractive to some Somalis.
As of this writing, Dr Mire has taken a neutral stance on the "Puntite" sites (quotation marks hers), declaring only that they and the statuary need to be "examined properly". As far as I am aware neither she nor any western academic have supported their authenticity, which is likely the "problem". Simply put, the context does not exist, which is unsatisfying to some Somalilanders.
Here is what she says:
"The Sheikh took me to his house in Hargeysa to show me the so-called “Pharaonic” sculptures. He proudly declared that he was selling them for up to US $15000, and named well-known figures as his clientele. The Ministry was worried that due to the demand for illicit antiquities, there might be (re)productions of sculptures. However, the sites were former cairns that had been emptied of their stones. Usually stonecutters who are selling stones to construction companies roam the landscapes for cairn sites, as these are perfectly sized stones for building local houses. I was shown sites with alleged Pharaonic artefacts; these include the twin peaks of Naaso Hablood (“girl’s breasts,” 107), Maxamood Mooge (109), Hargeysa Airport area and Masalaha (108). I have previously climbed the left peak, which has shelters with stone tools. Also, there are underground caves that show ancient habitation in the area between the two peaks. The Land of Punt thus may well be the area of current-day Somalia/Somaliland. However, the current interest has triggered looting activities, as demand has increased from wealthy locals for so-called “Puntite” sculptures. The sculptures and decorated tiles claimed to be of “Puntite” origin must be examined properly along with the sites attributed to them, some of them noted in the maps herein."