Some Arab media outlets have reported that a group of men from an Iraqi tribe helped free a commercial vessel that had been held by Somali pirates off the coast of Mudug region.
The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) announced the seizure of the vessel and the capture of the pirates on the previous day.
Maritime security sources contacted by Horseed Media confirmed that forces working independently for the company that owns the vessel took part in the operation to free the MTT-SIBU 1, alongside the Puntland maritime forces.
Video footage and photographs circulated by Iraqi sources appear to show the SIBU 1, the detained pirates and Somali security personnel at the scene.
The images have raised questions about who was ultimately in charge of the operation and the respective roles played by the two sides.
Puntland authorities on Sunday brought the group of pirates who had been holding the vessel to the port of Garacad in Mudug region.
Weapons seized from the group were also taken to the port, along with injured people and the bodies of those who died during the operation.
The reports have not yet provided further details about the identities of the Iraqi nationals involved, or the precise nature of their role in the operation.
Further information is expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the release of the vessel and the involvement of the Puntland security forces and the vessel owner’s personnel.
