Puntland has rejected Somalia’s claim that Turkish and federal forces rescued the hijacked MV Lutuf, saying the vessel and crew may have been freed after a ransom was paid.
GAROWE, Somalia (Somali Report) — Puntland authorities have disputed Somalia’s federal government account of the release of the Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel MV Lutuf, saying the ship and its crew regained their freedom after suspected Somali pirates seized it off Puntland’s coast earlier this month.
The Puntland Ministry of Security and Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) said in a statement that there had been no military operation by Somalia and Turkey to free the vessel, contradicting claims by Somalia’s Defence Ministry that the ship was recovered following a joint operation.
The MV Lutuf was hijacked on August 17 by an armed group off the Puntland coast, according to the regional authorities.
Puntland said it believed a ransom had been paid to secure the release of the vessel and its crew.
The ministry also accused officials from Somalia’s federal government and Turkey of facilitating the alleged ransom payment. It said Puntland authorities had monitored telephone communications between federal government officials and members of the group holding the vessel.
The accusations could add to tensions between Puntland and Mogadishu over maritime security and the role of foreign forces operating along Somalia’s coastline.
Puntland warned that ransom payments could provide financial incentives to pirate groups and encourage further attacks on commercial vessels.
“Paying ransom gives pirate groups an economic incentive,” the ministry said, warning that such payments could undermine efforts to prevent future ship hijackings.
The regional government also accused Turkey of carrying out airstrikes on August 18 and 20 near the coastal areas of Garmaal and Jiifle.
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Puntland said the strikes killed Somali citizens and destroyed fishing boats.
According to the ministry, Turkey justified the strikes as part of efforts to prevent young people from joining the group that had seized the MV Lutuf.
Puntland said its investigative authorities were examining the incidents and that it would seek accountability from Turkey over what it described as killings carried out in violation of international law.
The allegations come as international naval and security efforts in waters around Somalia have intensified amid renewed concerns over piracy and other maritime crimes.
Somali piracy, once a major threat to international shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, declined sharply after international naval deployments and improved security measures. But attacks and attempted hijackings have resurfaced in recent years, raising concerns over security gaps along Somalia’s long coastline.
Puntland called on the European Union, United States and other countries involved in maritime security to strengthen cooperation against piracy and other crimes in the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.
The regional administration said it remained committed to combating piracy, militant groups and other criminal activities threatening security on land and at sea.
The competing accounts over the MV Lutuf release could complicate efforts to establish exactly how the vessel and its crew were freed, particularly if a ransom was paid.
Neither the Somali federal government nor Turkey has, in the statement provided by Puntland, publicly responded to the regional authority’s allegations concerning ransom payments or the reported coastal airstrikes.
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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