Saturday May 4, 2024
Bosaso (HOL) - Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) announced on Saturday that they seized illegal weapons and dismantled a network of suspected pirates operating from the coastal district of Eyl, known as a strategic base for launching attacks on international shipping.
The Puntland navy did not disclose the number of weapons seized or their destination. This incident occurred in northeastern Somalia, a region that serves as a base for the ISIS and al-Shabab terrorist groups.
According to the PMPF statement on Friday, regional state authorities are actively seeking the pirates involved in the MV Abdullah hijacking, a Bangladeshi-flagged cargo ship released by Somali pirates last month following weeks of negotiations and a $5 million ransom payment.
Following the release of the MV Abdullah, the arrest of eight pirates linked to the hijacking emphasizes a zero-tolerance policy towards piracy.
During the operation, Puntland authorities also captured a Yemeni fishing vessel for illegal activities in its territorial waters.
Somali piracy surged into global headlines between 2008 and 2012 before the deployment of international naval forces, coupled with improved coordination and intelligence-sharing, helped reduce pirate attacks.
The recent resurgence of piracy, prompted by regional instability in the Red Sea and gaps in maritime security, poses a renewed challenge to international shipping through these critical waters.