Garowe (AX) — Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni has warned that foreign governments are exploiting the piracy threat to justify deploying forces along Puntland State’s coastline and accessing its maritime resources.
Speaking Sunday, Deni said Puntland State would reject any anti-piracy mission that serves to legitimize a foreign military presence in Somali waters.
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“We are told that Puntland State has failed in the fight against piracy, and then foreign forces are brought to our shores to take our resources,” Deni said.
He also said his administration would not tolerate the killing of civilians during operations conducted in the name of combating piracy.
According to Deni, Puntland State has the ability to tackle piracy without foreign military intervention.
The regional president pointed to earlier international anti-piracy deployments off Somalia, arguing that marine resources declined during periods when foreign forces operated in the country’s waters.
Deni urged Puntland State’s residents and the international community to support efforts to contain piracy, while cautioning against using the issue to interfere in Puntland State’s affairs or exploit its natural resources.
His comments came days after Somalia’s federal government announced that, in cooperation with Türkiye, the MV LUTUF had been freed from pirates off Puntland State’s coast in a military operation.
Puntland State has challenged that version of events, saying a ransom was paid to secure the vessel’s release.
The MV LUTUF was hijacked off Puntland State earlier this month, reviving concerns about piracy and maritime security in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
