The Turkish Navy, together with the Somali armed forces, freed the MV LATUF cargo ship, which had been seized by pirates in Somali waters. During the 10-day operation, 14 pirates were eliminated and four of their vessels were destroyed, LRT reports, citing BNS, writes UNN.
Details
According to the Somali government, sustained military pressure forced the attackers who remained aboard the MV LATUF to abandon the seized vessel. The military then took control of the ship, allowing it to continue on its route.
According to Marine Traffic, the MV LATUF sails under the flag of Cameroon. At the end of July, the vessel departed Turkey for the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam.
Media report cargo of Turkish weapons
According to international media reports, the ship may have been carrying Turkish weapons. At the same time, Somalia’s federal authorities did not confirm this information in response to an AFP inquiry.
Somali pirates seize oil tanker off the coast of Yemen02.05.26, 23:02
The joint operation was carried out במסגרת an agreement on defense cooperation between Turkey and Somalia. Piracy off the Somali coast peaked in 2011, after which the attackers’ activity was significantly reduced thanks to international naval operations.
However, since April 2026, the number of attacks has begun to rise again. During this period, pirates seized at least five cargo ships, the latest on August 20 off the coast of Yemen.
Six armed militants seized a tanker off the coast of Yemen20.08.26, 20:01