GAROWE (SD) – Puntland administration of Somalia has reportedly deployed forces to coastal towns to counter pirate groups, which have resumed attacking merchant ships and disrupting trade.

The troops have been instructed not to allow pirates to set up camp in the coastal areas and carry out attacks on ships using the waters of Puntland for trade.

An army officer told the media that their forces informed traditional elders that they would attack the pirates wherever they were, including their communities.

Puntland’s coastal city of Garaad serves as the main base for these forces, which have started conducting patrols to verify the security of the waters, working to eliminate pirate threats and safeguard the coastal areas of Puntland.
Puntland has long struggled to contain Piracy since 2007.

Currently, several vessels are being held hostage in Puntland’s waters, with pirates seeking ransom payments for their release, posing a challenge to the region’s stability.