Monday February 5, 2024
Garowe (HOL) - Somali security forces in the semi-autonomous Puntland state apprehended a group of three men allegedly involved in piracy, attempting to carry out illicit acts in the coastal areas of Puntland.
Security officials displayed the group along with weapons, supplies, and boats in Garowe on Monday, revealing the group's intention to launch attacks on commercial ships and fishing boats at sea.
While the arrested men are slated to face legal proceedings, it has not been confirmed whether they have committed any previous acts of piracy.
The capture of these suspects coincides with recent efforts by the Puntland administration to establish anti-piracy forces on the coast, responding to the escalating hijacking incidents involving ships and commercial boats.
According to EUNavfor Atalanta, a European Union naval force responsible for maritime security along East Africa's coast, at least 14 vessels have been hijacked off the Somali coast since late November 2023.
The suspected hijackings in waters off Somalia have raised concerns that Somali pirates may have resumed their activities a decade after causing widespread disruptions in international shipping.