14 Pirates Killed By Turkish Navy & Somalia’s Armed Forces In 10-Day Operation To Free Hijacked Vessel MV LUTUF
14 pirates were killed in a 10-day-long operation by the Turkish Navy and Somalia’s Armed Forces.
4 pirate boats were destroyed, and the hijacked vessel MV LUTUF was finally freed after the remaining pirates fled due to continuing pressure from the forces.
The anti-piracy operation was carried out in cooperation between Turkiye and Somalia, as part of a defence agreement.
The Defence Ministry of Somalia did not provide any information about the well-being of the vessel’s crew members, including 8 individuals, of which one hailed from Turkiye. The authorities stated that the vessel has been taken away from the control of pirates, is safe and has resumed its journey.
The Cameroon-flagged ship was boarded by pirates on August 17, 2026, off Nugaai of Puntland. MV Lutuf was not the only ship to have been held hostage.
According to recent reports, around five cargo ships were attacked by armed men off Somalia, and ultimately hijacked, with 15 attacks reported off Somalia in 2026.
Piracy has resurfaced after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the threat of Houthis in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, forcing ships to take detours around Africa, giving a chance to armed pirate groups to attack commercial vessels for their cargo and to seek ransoms from authorities.
The main point of resurgence is the Horn of Africa, which saw a rise in cases since April 2026, according to the IMO. The piracy attacks are at an all-time high this year since 2013, and mimic patterns seen in the 2000s.
Piracy incidents were frequent in the waters off Somalia in 2011, before international forces, naval deployments and anti-piracy efforts brought them under control.
However, increasing piracy-related incidents around the Horn of Africa have added to the difficulties for shipping in the Middle East as ships are navigating around the Strait of Hormuz and owners are having to deal with mounting operating costs, high insurance premiums and greater risks.
In the past few years, piracy has also spread to West African shores, given the rampant poverty, corruption and unemployment which has driven the youth to crime, as has happened in Somalia.
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