GAROWE, Somalia — The Ministry of Security and Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration (DDR) of Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland state has welcomed the release of the cargo vessel MV LUTUF and its crew following its August 17 hijacking by armed pirates off the region’s coast, while sharply criticizing the federal government in Mogadishu and Turkish forces over their handling of the crisis.
In a official statement, Puntland officials denied claims that the vessel was rescued through a military operation conducted by the Federal Government of Somalia or the Turkish Armed Forces. The ministry pointed to an August 29 statement by Somalia’s Ministry of Defence as evidence that no direct rescue raid had occurred.
Puntland issued a scathing condemnation regarding an alleged ransom payment handed to the pirates by the Somali Federal Government. According to the ministry, Puntland authorities had recently been mediating contacts between high-ranking federal officials and the pirate network to facilitate the transaction and secure the ship’s safe release.
Puntland security officials described paying ransoms as a dangerous misstep that undermines counter-piracy efforts by providing financial incentives for criminal networks to launch further hijackings. The state government warned that the precedent could severely complicate efforts to secure the release of other vessels still being held hostage off the Somali coast.
Concurrently, Puntland denounced reported airstrikes carried out by Turkish aircraft in the coastal zones of Garmaal and Jiifle on August 18 and 20. Puntland authorities reported that the strikes resulted in the deaths of Somali citizens and destroyed several local fishing dhows.
The ministry stated that Puntland criminal investigation agencies have launched a probe into the incidents, adding that the state government intends to hold the Turkish government fully accountable for the loss of civilian life and destruction of private property.
Puntland characterized Turkey’s actions as contradictory, noting it was regrettable that Ankara allowed ransom payments to pirates while simultaneously conducting air raids that killed young Somalis and destroyed livelihoods along the Puntland coast.
Closing its release, the Puntland government called on international maritime partners—including the European Union, the United States, and regional ally states—to bolster joint naval cooperation. Puntland urged coordinated action to protect vital sea lanes across the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea, reiterating its resolve to combat terrorism, piracy, and maritime crime.
