Six fishermen were reportedly killed and three others wounded in a missile strike off Puntland’s Nugaal coast, amid growing concerns over renewed piracy and unidentified military operations in the area.
The strike took place in the afternoon near Jiifle, a coastal area in Nugaal, where a boat was travelling offshore, according to witnesses.
The circumstances surrounding the attack remained unclear, with no immediate official confirmation of who carried out the strike or why the vessel was targeted.
A local resident who spoke to Somali Report by phone said a man believed to be a member of a pirate group holding the M/V LUTUF had disembarked from the ship in a small boat before heading towards the shore.
Fishermen who were in the area reportedly approached the small boat, the resident said.
Shortly afterwards, a missile struck the vessel, killing and injuring people on board, according to the account.
The number of casualties could rise, local sources warned, as efforts to establish the full extent of the damage were continuing.
The identity of those killed has not been officially released.
Residents in the area have blamed Turkey for the strike, but there was no immediate confirmation from Turkish authorities that its forces had carried out the operation.
The incident comes amid heightened concern over the M/V LUTUF, a vessel reportedly seized by pirates last week and being held off the Nugaal coast.
According to local reports, the ship was carrying weapons, communications equipment and satellite-related equipment allegedly destined for a Turkish training facility in Mogadishu.
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The reports could not immediately be independently verified.
The seizure of the vessel has drawn attention to renewed piracy activity along Somalia's coast, after years of declining attacks following international naval patrols and anti-piracy operations.
The latest strike also follows previous air attacks along the Nugaal coastline that reportedly killed four people. Authorities have not publicly identified those responsible for those attacks.
Puntland authorities have called on any parties involved in military operations along its coastline to provide information about the nature and purpose of the operations.
The Puntland government has previously raised concerns over military activities carried out along its coast without clear coordination with regional authorities.
Somalia's coastline has increasingly become a focus of security operations involving Somali forces and foreign partners as authorities seek to counter piracy, militant activity and illicit maritime trafficking.
The circumstances of Monday's strike, including whether the boat was deliberately targeted and the identity of the aircraft or platform that launched the missile, remained unclear.
There was also no immediate independent confirmation that the people on board the boat were involved in piracy.
The reported presence of fishermen at the scene has raised concerns about civilian casualties and the potential risks posed by military operations in coastal areas where fishing communities depend heavily on the sea for their livelihoods.
Local authorities and residents were expected to provide further information as investigations into the incident continued.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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