Turkish and Somali forces have successfully rescued the cargo ship Lutuf after a 10-day operation aimed at freeing it from pirates who took control of the vessel off the coast of Puntland, Somalia, earlier this month. This information comes from Somalia’s Ministry of Defense.
The ship, which is registered under the flag of Cameroon, was hijacked on August 17 near Jiifle in the Eyl district of Somalia’s Nugaal region. It was one of six merchant vessels being held by pirates in that area.
According to a statement from the defense ministry, the Turkish Navy worked closely with the Somali National Armed Forces to keep pressure on the pirates, leading the remaining attackers to abandon the ship.
“During the 10-day operation, four of the pirates' boats were destroyed, and 14 pirates were reported dead,” the ministry stated.
Somali officials confirmed that forces gained complete control of the Lutuf, which has now safely resumed its journey.
However, the ministry did not share details on how the 14 pirates died or if there were any injuries among the crew of the ship or the forces involved in the operation.
This operation was part of a defense cooperation agreement between Somalia and Turkey, which has been increasing its military and maritime presence in East Africa in recent years.
The release of the Lutuf comes as concerns over Somali piracy are rising in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) raised alarms last week after the hijacking of the tanker Seamull, also known as Sibu 1, on August 20. They reported that six merchant ships and more than 90 crew members were being held captive in the region.
The Lutuf was among those six vessels, along with Honour 25, Sward, Eureka, Asana, and Seamull.
The Lutuf was captured just three days before six armed men boarded the Seamull about 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen, and directed the tanker toward Somalia.
These two hijackings in August follow a series of successful pirate attacks earlier this year. Ships like Honour 25 and Sward have been held captive since April, while Eureka has been detained since May, and Asana since July.
The return of piracy is raising international concern, especially given that it is happening during the southwest monsoon season, when the rough seas usually limit the operations of Somali pirates in small boats.
The Joint Maritime Information Center has assessed the piracy risk along the Somali coast and the Somali Basin as “moderate,” while the overall threat in the Gulf of Aden is rated as “substantial” due to risks from piracy and Houthi attacks.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called for renewed international efforts to tackle piracy, stressing that the problem should not be overlooked due to other security issues affecting commercial shipping in the region.
“While international attention has shifted to other areas of rising tension, we must not ignore the resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters,” Dominguez stated.