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.
The government has announced ongoing development projects in Galmudug and Puntland, with road and water infrastructure to boost transport and local economies. Leaders emphasize unity and stability as clashes in Galkayo and other cities test security amid political tensions.
Six armed pirates hijack the Eritrean-flagged MT Sibu 1 east of al-Mukalla, Yemen, steering toward Somalia’s Puntland coast. The incident marks the latest in a string of hijackings by Somali pirates since April, with concerns rising over extended reach and security along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Puntland deploys coastal forces and condemns near-coast strikes; the IMB recorded 38 piracy incidents in H1 2026.