Garowe, Puntland – Puntland authorities have issued strong and decisive warnings against yielding to the pirates’ demands or paying any ransom for the release of the hijacked Turkish arms ship off the coast of the Somali state. Security and field developments continue off the coast of Puntland, Somalia. This follows reports that a small boat carrying nine men, which had departed from the coastal area of Jifla, was directly hit by a missile in the same region.
Position of warships and position of Turkish weapons shipment
Field sources indicate that foreign warships remain stationed near the hijacked cargo ship, the Cameroonian-registered M/V LUTUF. The ship was carrying Turkish weapons, advanced communications equipment, and satellite devices intended to support the Turkish military training center in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. iReports also suggest that the pirate group is engaged in unconfirmed communications and negotiations involving officials from the Somali Federal Government and Turkish officials in an effort to resolve the stuation.
Financial demands and stern regional warnings
As the crisis continues, reports indicate that the hijackers are demanding a ransom of approximately two million dollars for the release of the hijacked vessel. However, there has been no official confirmation yet that formal negotiations regarding the ransom have begun. Authorities in Puntland have issued strong and decisive warnings against yielding to the pirates’ demands or paying any ransom for the release of the hijacked ships. They emphasized that such payments and Malaysian-backed solutions would inevitably fund and encourage a new and dangerous wave of armed piracy along the Somali coast.
