The Turkish Navy and the Somali Army have liberated the cargo ship MV Latuf, which was hijacked by pirates on the 17th off the coast of northern Somalia, the Somali Ministry of Defense announced this Saturday.
[Somali Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker Off the Southeastern Coast of Yemen: Turkish Navy and Somali Army Release a Freighter Hijacked by Pirates](https://www.telesurenglish.net/turkish-navy-and-somali-army-release-a-freighter-hijacked-by-pirates/)
The ship, hijacked near the coastal town of Jifle in the Nugal region, was freed “during the ten-day operation,” in which “four boats used by the pirates were destroyed and 14 of them lost their lives,” Defense stated in a communiqué.
“The constant pressure from the forces (of both countries) finally forced the remaining pirates to abandon the ship. The forces took full control of the MV Latuf, which has resumed its journey without incident,” the official note said, without specifying the date of the operation.
The operation was based on the defense cooperation agreement between Somalia and Turkiye, which “strengthens bilateral cooperation to protect the Somali coastline, safeguard maritime security, and combat piracy,” Defense added, without clarifying the fate of the cargo ship’s crew or providing further details.
PRESS RELEASE
The Turkish Navy, working with the Somali National Armed Forces, has freed cargo ship 𝗠𝗩 𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗙 following a 10-day anti-piracy operation off Jifle, Eyl District. The vessel is secure and has safely resumed its voyage.
Full statement below. pic.twitter.com/JdnL7hO5mq— MoD Somalia
(@MoDSomaliya) August 29, 2026
According to local media, the Cameroonian-flagged ship had ten people on board (six Indians, one Turk, one Georgian, and two Serbian guards) and was carrying weapons and communication equipment apparently destined for Turkish military training facilities in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia had significantly decreased over the last decade thanks to international patrols and improved security measures.
But the waters of the Horn of Africa, previously patrolled by ships from the United States, the European Union (EU), and other countries on security missions, are now experiencing a resurgence of Somali piracy due to the vacuum left by some of those ships, which have moved to support attacks against Iran and Yemen.
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