Somalia’s federal government has accused Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni of encouraging piracy by supporting ransom payments for hijacked vessels.
Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said a statement issued by Puntland contained what he described as a defence of pirates and the payment of ransoms.
Fiqi speaking at National Internal Security Conference said such a position sent the wrong message to groups holding hijacked vessels and could encourage them to continue seizing ships and demanding payments.
“Every payment made to pirates finances this criminal activity and encourages them to seize more vessels,” Fiqi said.
He urged governments whose vessels or citizens were being held off Somalia's coast not to pay ransoms, arguing that such payments provide financial incentives for piracy and enable the groups involved to continue their operations.
The minister said the federal government was ready to work toward securing the release of vessels and boats held by pirates, but insisted that any solution should not involve providing money that could be used to sustain piracy.
Fiqi also called on Deni to play a more active role in combating piracy, saying Puntland had naval and coastal forces that had received international support for years.
He said authorities should pursue suspected pirates both on land and along the coast, arguing that people involved in piracy were known and that some were living in towns and communities in Puntland.
The comments come amid renewed tensions over piracy along Somalia's coastline after the seizure and subsequent release of the cargo vessel MV Lutuf.
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The Cameroon-flagged vessel was hijacked off Somalia's Puntland coast on Aug. 17, according to Somali authorities. It was later released following an operation involving Somali and Turkish forces, according to the federal government.
The government said its forces had regained control of the vessel after a military operation, while Puntland offered a different account, saying the pirates had released the ship after a ransom was paid.
The conflicting accounts have exposed broader disagreements between Mogadishu and Puntland over security responsibilities and the handling of piracy incidents.
The federal government has sought to strengthen its control over national security matters, while Puntland maintains its own security forces and has frequently challenged Mogadishu's policies.
Piracy off Somalia's coast reached crisis levels more than a decade ago, prompting international naval patrols and the deployment of armed security teams aboard some commercial vessels. International efforts helped sharply reduce attacks, but piracy has resurfaced in recent years amid instability in the region and disruptions to maritime security.
Somalia's long coastline along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean makes maritime security a strategic concern for the government and international shipping companies.
Fiqi said the federal government would continue working with international partners to protect commercial shipping and prevent piracy from becoming a source of financing for criminal networks.
The dispute over the Lutuf case comes as Somalia and its international partners face the broader challenge of strengthening national maritime security while resolving political differences between Mogadishu and Puntland.
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.
