Semi-autonomous state of Somalia, dating from 1998
A Tanzania-flagged tanker, MT Astana, has been hijacked by seven armed Somali pirates off Yemen, and is now held off Puntland’s Bari region. The vessel, en route to Bosaso, was moving slowly with a distress signal, and navies are coordinating responses amid a renewed piracy wave.
Puntland forces have launched a planned security operation in Galkayo, claiming to protect state institutions as clashes erupt between Puntland and federal forces. Residents report heavy fighting, civilian displacement, and contested control around a military camp near the city’s airport. Deni accuses Mogadishu of undermining Puntland, while the federal government has not responded.