By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
Mogadishu, 4 September 2026 The deputy chairman of the Somali Maritime Research Centre has said ongoing links exist between pirate networks and terrorist groups, warning they could cooperate financially and undermine security along Somalia's coastline.
Abdirahman Warsame Diriye made the remarks on Thursday during a panel discussion organized by the Tubsan National Centre on connecting counterterrorism efforts with disaster-risk reduction in coastal communities.
Piracy and terrorism both constitute serious criminal offences under the law, as attacks on vessels, abduction of seafarers and endangerment of lives can be classified as acts of terrorism, Warsame said.
"Pirates and terrorist groups maintain ongoing links, and those ties could grow stronger because pirates are motivated by financial gain. If they see financial benefits and opportunities on the other side, they may establish such cooperation," Warsame said.
He said pirates had acquired vessels capable of traveling far beyond Somalia's coastline, enabling them to seize ships in the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and waters near Yemen.
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Nearly 900 piracy-related incidents were recorded in the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea between 2008 and 2026, including both successful and attempted attacks, he said.
Piracy attacks linked to Somalia peaked in 2011, when 237 incidents were recorded and hundreds of people were abducted or harmed, Warsame said.
Pirates are currently holding as many as five ships off the Somali coast with an estimated 70 to 90 seafarers aboard, he claimed. The figures have not been independently verified.
Warsame called on government institutions to increase vigilance and strengthen cooperation and public awareness among fishing communities.
He also urged greater efforts to educate Somali youth about the dangers of joining pirate networks and terrorist groups, saying both activities threaten human life, national security and maritime navigation.