Africa

Puntland Accuses Somalia and Turkey of Paying Pirates to Free Hijacked Ship

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Courtroom-sketch editorial illustration of the container ship Annaba at Skandiahamnen, Sweden, from an April 2017 photograph, with commercial logos and lettering omitted; archival cargo-shipping context, not the reported vessel, port, voyage or incident.
AI courtroom sketch of the container ship Annaba at Skandiahamnen, Sweden, from an April 2017 photograph, with commercial logos and lettering omitted; archival cargo-shipping context, not the reported vessel, port, voyage or incident. Adapted from the credited reference. Container ship Annaba at Skandiahamnen 1.jpg — W.carter; CC0.

Puntland's Ministry of Security and DDR accused Somalia's federal government and Turkey of paying pirates to release a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship seized off Puntland on August 17. The ministry said there was no federal or Turkish rescue operation, but disclosed no ransom amount or independently verifiable proof. Somalia's Defence Ministry said Turkish and Somali forces freed the ship after a ten-day operation, destroyed four pirate boats and killed 14 people it described as pirates. The federal ministry said the remaining pirates abandoned the vessel and it resumed its voyage under Somalia and Turkey's defence-cooperation agreement.

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