Suspected Somali pirates hijack oil vessel headed to the capital

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MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Suspected Somali pirates hijacked a fuel tanker off the northeastern coast of Somalia, according to a local official and the British military.

The vessel was seized on Wednesday in waters between the coastal towns of Hafun and Bandarbeyla in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland along the Indian Ocean.

The tanker had departed from the port of Berbera and was heading to the Somali capital of Mogadishu when it was intercepted, a colonel with the Puntland Maritime Police Force told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to a journalist.

That official said six armed men from the Bandarbeyla district carried out the hijacking.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations also issued a statement reporting a hijacking incident off the Somali coast. It said unauthorized people took control of the tanker and were maneuvering it “south within Somali territorial waters."

The ship, owned by Pakistani interests and chartered by local businessmen, was carrying a large shipment of fuel, according to the Puntland official. It was not possible to verify how many people were on board.

Local authorities and Puntland security forces are under pressure from community leaders to secure the release of the vessel and its crew. There was no immediate indication of ransom demands.

Piracy off Somalia’s coast, once among the most dangerous in the world, has declined significantly over the past decade due to international naval patrols and improved maritime security. However, sporadic incidents continue to raise concerns about a possible resurgence.