By Asha Elmi - Reporter
MOGADISHU, September 26, 2026 Puntland's maritime police said 41 suspected pirates were in custody after an operation to free the MT SIBU 1 oil tanker, which had been held since August.
The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) said one suspected pirate was killed and five were wounded during the operation. All 20 crew members and the vessel's cargo were safe, it said. The crew comprised 16 Indians, two Syrians, one Iraqi and one Sudanese national.
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The 48-hour operation ended on Friday morning off the coast of Mudug. Armed men seized the tanker, also known as SEAMULL, on Aug. 20 in the Gulf of Aden, about 136 nautical miles east of Yemen's Al Mukalla, and diverted it towards Somalia.
Puntland Television initially reported 15 arrests, citing PMPF officers. A subsequent written statement from the force put the number in custody at 41.