Mogadishu: Turkish navy and Somali armed forces have successfully freed a hijacked vessel in Somali waters, killing 14 alleged pirates in a battle that spanned several days, as reported by Somalia's government on Saturday. "During the 10-day operation, four boats used by the pirates were destroyed and 14 pirates were killed," stated a Somali Defense Ministry statement. "The sustained military pressure finally forced the remaining pirates to abandon the ship." According to Deutsche Welle, the MV LUTUF, a Cameroon-flagged vessel, was seized by pirates on August 17 off the coast of the Nugaal region in Puntland state. The operation to free the vessel was a collaborative effort between Turkey and Somalia, carried out under a defense cooperation agreement between the two nations. Although the ministry did not disclose details about casualties or the condition of the crew, it confirmed, "The forces subsequently secured the MV LATUF, which has now safely resumed its journey." AFP news agency sources revealed that at least eight crew members were on board, including one Turkish national. The Horn of Africa has recently experienced a resurgence in piracy, with the International Maritime Organization reporting at least 15 attacks off the coast of Somalia this year. This resurgence marks the highest number of attacks since 2013, with at least five cargo ships being held hostage, the most recent occurring on August 20 off the coast of Yemen. The piracy crisis, which was rampant in the 2000s and peaked in 2011, had been previously curbed by international naval deployments and new protection measures for commercial shipping. The ongoing resurgence of piracy in the Horn of Africa compounds the challenges faced by international shipping in the Middle East. Ships are navigating around contested areas like the Strait of Hormuz and attempting to avoid hostile actions, such as Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Additionally, pirate attacks have been on the rise along the West African coast, further increasing the risks for commerci al shipping in the region.
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