(18-12-23) BOSASO (Halqabsi News) — The Puntland government, in a determined response to increasing maritime piracy, announced on Monday its plan to launch a military operation to rescue the MV Ruen. This Maltese-flagged cargo ship was hijacked last week off the Somali coast, highlighting the persistent threat of piracy in the region.
Ports Minister of Puntland, Ahmed Yasin Salah, emphasised the government’s commitment to counter these maritime crimes robustly. “We are fully prepared to deploy the Puntland Marine Police Force (PMPF) and take decisive action against the pirates,” he stated. The rescue operation aims not only to free the MV Ruen, which was seized in the Gulf of Aden en route from Singapore to Gemlik with 18 crew members on board but also to deter future piracy.
This incident comes in the wake of the November hijacking of the Iranian fishing boat Al-Meraj 1 by Puntland pirates. The captors, demanding a ransom of USD 400,000, threatened to use the vessel for further hijackings. These events, coupled with growing concerns about potential links between Somali pirates and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, underscore a worrying trend in regional piracy. Experts warn that these collaborations could lead to increased attacks against cargo ships in the Red Sea, further destabilising international maritime trade routes.
Halqabsi News
