Turkey's navy and Somali armed forces freed a hijacked vessel in Somali waters and killed 14 alleged pirates following several days of fighting, Somalia's government said on Saturday. Somalia's Defense Ministry said the 10-day operation destroyed four boats used by the pirates before the surviving pirates abandoned the ship.
Turkey and Somalia free hijacked vessel, kill 14 alleged pirates in 10-day operation
Turkey's navy and Somali armed forces freed a hijacked vessel in Somali waters and killed 14 alleged pirates following several days of fighting, Somalia's government said on Saturday. Somalia's Defense Ministry said the 10-day operation destroyed four boats used by the pirates before the surviving pirates abandoned the ship.
The MV LUTUF, a Cameroon-flagged vessel, was hijacked on August 17 off the coast of the Nugaal region of Puntland state. The joint operation was carried out under a defense cooperation agreement between Turkey and Somalia.
The Defense Ministry statement said the forces 'subsequently secured the MV LATUF, which has now safely resumed its journey,' but did not provide details on crew casualties or the well-being of those aboard. According to AFP news agency sources, at least eight crew members were on board, including one Turkish national.
The Horn of Africa has seen a resurgence in piracy since April, according to figures from the International Maritime Organization, with at least 15 attacks recorded off the Somali coast this year — the highest level since 2013. At least five cargo ships were held hostage, the most recent seized on August 20 off Yemen.
Piracy off Somalia was widespread in the 2000s, peaking in 2011 before being reduced by international naval deployments and new commercial shipping protection measures. The current resurgence compounds existing pressures on international shipping in the region, where vessels are also navigating around the Strait of Hormuz and seeking to avoid Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Pirate attacks have also increased along the West African coast in recent years, according to the source.
- The source does not state whether any crew members were injured or killed during the hijacking or the operation.
- The source does not identify what cargo the MV LUTUF was carrying or its origin and destination.
- The source spells the vessel's name as both 'MV LUTUF' and 'MV LATUF' without reconciling the discrepancy.
- The source does not state how many pirates were captured, surrendered, or escaped.
- The source does not state the total number of Turkish naval personnel or Somali forces involved in the operation.
- The source does not provide independent confirmation of the casualty figures beyond the Somali Defense Ministry statement.
Read the original at Deutsche Welle