Turkish and Somali navies free hijacked vessel MV Lutuf, killing 14 pirates

Military operation off Puntland

Somalia's government announced on Saturday that Turkish naval forces and Somali armed units successfully concluded a 10-day joint operation to liberate the Cameroon-flagged merchant vessel MV Lutuf, also identified by defense officials as the MV Latuf. The vessel had been seized by pirates in Somali territorial waters off the country's northeastern coastline. The military engagement took place near Jifle, located within the Eyl district of the Nugaal region in Puntland state. Somali defense officials confirmed that several days of combat resulted in the deaths of 14 alleged pirates and the destruction of four attack boats used by the hijackers.

During the 10-day operation, four boats used by the pirates were destroyed and 14 pirates were killed.

The continuous military pressure applied by the joint forces ultimately forced the surviving pirates to abandon the ship after their small craft were neutralized. While the defense ministry provided no details regarding the physical condition of the crew, authorities confirmed that the naval units subsequently secured the vessel, which has since resumed its voyage safely.

Hijacking and defense cooperation

The hijacking took place on 17 August 2026, when eight armed individuals boarded the Cameroon-flagged vessel and took control of its bridge off the coast of the Nugaal region. At least eight crew members were on board the cargo ship during the seizure, including one Turkish citizen. Official defense statements did not specify what cargo the vessel was transporting at the time of the attack.

The joint rescue mission was carried out under the framework of an established bilateral defense cooperation agreement between Turkey and Somalia. The pact enables the Turkish navy to operate alongside the Somali National Armed Forces to conduct maritime patrols, safeguard commercial shipping lanes, and combat organized piracy throughout Somali territorial waters.

The sustained military pressure finally forced the remaining pirates to abandon the ship.

Resurgence of maritime attacks

The recovery off Puntland follows a resurgence of maritime piracy across the Horn of Africa, where attacks have steadily increased since April. Statistics published by the International Maritime Organization show that at least 15 attacks have taken place off the coast of Somalia in 2026, representing the highest annual total of piracy incidents in the region since 2013. Across the year, pirates have taken at least five commercial cargo vessels hostage, with the most recent previous seizure taking place on 20 August off the coast of Yemen.

Pirate attacks were rampant off the Somali coast throughout the 2000s and reached a peak in 2011 before large-scale international naval deployments and commercial shipping defense protocols curbed incidents. The renewed frequency of attacks adds another layer of risk for international commercial shipping in the Middle East and surrounding waters, where merchant vessels are already navigating around the contested Strait of Hormuz, steering clear of Houthi missile strikes in the Red Sea, and contending with an increase in pirate attacks along the West African coast.