Islam Times – The Somali and Turkish navies killed 14 pirates during a joint operation to retake a hijacked cargo ship off Somalia’s coast, Somalia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday.The MV Latuf was seized by pirates on August 17 in waters off Jifle in Somalia’s northeastern Nugaal region. Somali forces, working with the Turkish Navy, conducted a 10-day operation to regain control of the vessel, destroying four boats used by the pirates.
The Cameroonian-flagged MV Latuf has since been returned to Somali control and resumed its journey. According to MarineTraffic data, the vessel departed Türkiye in late July and was heading to Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam.
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said the operation was part of the Somali-Turkish Task Force’s efforts to strengthen Somalia’s ability to combat terrorism and piracy under bilateral agreements.
Somalia and Türkiye signed a 10-year defense and economic cooperation agreement in 2024, under which Ankara is helping Somalia build, train and equip its navy.
The agreement also covers maritime security and efforts to combat piracy and illegal fishing along Somalia’s coastline.
The latest operation comes amid a renewed rise in piracy off the Horn of Africa. Somali piracy reached its peak in 2011 after years of attacks disrupted major international shipping routes.
In July, seven armed pirates also hijacked the Tanzanian-flagged fuel and chemical tanker MT Asana in the Gulf of Aden after it departed Yemen’s Mukalla port.
The vessel, carrying 20 crew members, was seized and taken into Somali territorial waters near Puntland.