MOGADISHU, Somalia — Puntland authorities have demanded an explanation for recent strikes near the coastal town of Garmaal and said they were investigating claims that outside forces may be supporting a resurgence of piracy for political and economic interests, Arlaadi Media Network reports.
The administration said attacks that damage fishing boats or harm civilians could undermine cooperation with international partners fighting piracy.
The accusations come after the seizure of the Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel Lutuf off Puntland on Aug. 17 and a subsequent strike near Garmaal that killed four men and wounded two others, according to local reports.
The Lutuf, owned by Polar Movement Shipping, was carrying Turkish weapons, communications and satellite equipment destined for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu, according to a Somali official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The 10-person crew included six Indian nationals, one Turkish national, one Georgian and two Serbian security guards.
The vessel was seized by eight armed men off Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district and was subsequently taken toward the Nugaal coast, the official said. The status of the crew and cargo remained unclear. Turkish authorities had not publicly commented on the reported seizure.
Turkish surveillance reported
Turkish-linked vessels and aerial units, including helicopters and drones, were reported to have monitored the hijacked ship after it was seized. According to reports, two Turkish vessels approached the area as the Lutuf was moved toward the Nugaal coast.
A small boat reportedly travelled from the hijacked vessel toward shore on Tuesday. Shortly after it returned, an airstrike hit the area, killing four men and wounding two others. It has not been independently established who carried out the strike or whether those targeted were directly involved in the hijacking.
Local reports have attributed the strike to Turkish drones, while Turkish authorities have not publicly acknowledged responsibility. Puntland has called for clarification rather than assigning blame.
The uncertainty has added tension between Puntland authorities and foreign actors involved in maritime security operations in the region.
Residents report further attack
Residents of Garmaal later reported hearing a heavy explosion overnight and seeing an aircraft overhead. They said a suspected drone strike set several fishing boats on fire.
The report has not been independently verified, and there has been no public confirmation from Turkey or another military force that it carried out the attack.
Puntland authorities have deployed investigators and urged residents not to disturb evidence at the scene.
Families in Garmaal gathered on Wednesday to bury the four men killed in the earlier strike. Local accounts have differed over whether the victims were suspected pirates or fishermen, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the operation.
Piracy spreads across Gulf of Aden
The developments come as Somali piracy appears to be entering a new period of activity after years of relative calm.
On Thursday, six armed men seized the Eritrea-flagged Sibu 1 in the Gulf of Aden, about 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen, and diverted the vessel toward Somalia, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre.
The tanker had previously been sanctioned by the United States for allegedly transporting Iranian petroleum products as part of an Iranian shadow fleet. The seizure followed the hijacking of the Lutuf four days earlier.
The two incidents have heightened concerns among maritime authorities about a renewed pirate threat along routes connecting Somalia, Yemen and the wider Gulf of Aden.
Reuters reported that the Sibu 1 was at least the 13th vessel attacked this year off Somalia or in the Gulf of Aden, compared with five such attacks recorded during all of 2025, citing International Maritime Bureau data and UKMTO reports.
Puntland warns against unilateral action
Puntland said any military action that harms fishermen or civilian property could weaken cooperation with international partners involved in counter-piracy efforts.
The administration also said it was investigating claims that forces outside Puntland were supporting piracy for political or economic interests, without identifying those forces or providing evidence for the allegation.
The Federal Government in Mogadishu has not publicly given a detailed account of the strikes near Garmaal.
The reported involvement of Turkish military assets, the seizure of a vessel carrying Turkish military equipment and the subsequent airstrike have complicated an already volatile maritime security situation.
For Puntland, the immediate concern is establishing who carried out the strikes and whether they were connected to the hijacking. For international maritime authorities, the renewed seizures underscore the difficulty of containing piracy as instability in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden continues to affect commercial shipping.
