Turkish ship MV LUTUF freed from pirates in joint Somali operation

Turkish and Somali security forces have successfully freed the MV LUTUF, a Turkish-owned vessel that had been seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia, according to Somalia's defence ministry on Saturday.

The Cameroon-flagged ship was hijacked on August 17 in the Nugaal region of Puntland state, a semi-autonomous area in northeastern Somalia. During the rescue operation, four boats used by the pirates were destroyed and 14 alleged pirates were killed, the ministry said in a statement.

The remaining pirates fled the vessel, allowing the joint forces to regain control of the ship. The operation was conducted under a defence cooperation agreement between Somalia and Turkey, which focuses on strengthening maritime security, protecting Somalia's coastline, and combating piracy.

The ministry did not provide details about any casualties among the security forces or the condition of the crew aboard the vessel.

A local elder, Abdullahi Warsame, from the Jiifle community in the Godob Jiiraan district of Nugaal, where the vessel had been held, confirmed to Varta Wire that the ship and its crew had been freed.

The hijacking of the MV LUTUF had raised fresh concerns about a possible resurgence of piracy along Somalia's coast, which had seen a decline in recent years due to increased naval patrols and international cooperation.