Higher education has become increasingly diverse in recent years as patterns of migration expand and grow. However, while different linguistic communities are brought together, English is often conceived as the de facto lingua franca for research, teaching and learning. This is perhaps especially so in ethnically diverse conflict-affected settings where English is perceived to be a neutral and unifying language. This study directs attention to two English medium instruction (EMI) universities in two conflict-affected contexts, Afghanistan and Somaliland. Four research questions related to language, conflict and education are proposed. Data for the study was collected through document analysis, interviews and artifacts with 12 university educators and analyzed through a critical cultural political economy and decolonial framework. Findings suggest that while English is strongly desired by various members of the universities, it is also deeply implicated in multiple sources of conflict, calling for a more sensitive approach to teaching.