By Shire Abdi - Reporter
DJIBOUTI, Aug. 8, 2026 – Two Djiboutian soldiers were wounded in an exchange of fire with a vessel suspected of smuggling after a naval patrol intercepted it in Djibouti's territorial waters, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
The incident occurred during a routine patrol by the Djiboutian Navy, which spotted the vessel heading towards Djibouti's coast, according to the ministry's statement reported by Djibouti's state news agency ADI.
The vessel, which the ministry described as being from Yemen and carrying several people, attempted to flee towards Yemen after naval forces approached it, the statement said.
A Djiboutian naval vessel pursued the boat. After a brief chase, the suspected vessel turned around and opened fire on the Djiboutian forces, according to the ministry.
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The naval forces returned fire, and two soldiers were wounded during the confrontation. They were taken to hospital for treatment, the ministry said.
The ministry did not provide further details on the identity of the vessel, its passengers or whether any arrests were made.
Djibouti said its maritime surveillance and security operations were continuing in its territorial waters.
The incident took place near one of the world's major commercial shipping routes linking the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, where Djibouti maintains maritime patrols to monitor its territorial waters.