Monday, September 28, 2026 - Around 30 suspected Somali pirates escaped while being transported to a jail in Puntland, raising serious questions about how they managed to break free from police custody.
The suspects were among 41 people arrested after Puntland maritime police rescued the oil tanker Sibu 1, also known as Seamull, from pirates on Friday. The group was being moved by road from the coastal town of Garacad to Puntland’s capital, Garowe, when the escape occurred.
According to four local security sources cited by AFP, the truck carrying the suspects suffered a burst tyre during the nighttime journey, after which the detainees discovered that the vehicle’s door was unlocked.
Police later recaptured 13 of the escapees, while one was fatally wounded by gunfire. The sources also questioned why the suspects were transported at night and alleged that some members of the security detail may have deliberately enabled the escape. The allegations have not been independently established.
The incident comes as piracy is again increasing along Somalia’s coastline, with at least 15 attacks reported since April, according to figures cited from the International Maritime Organization.
The Sibu 1 operation had initially been seen as a significant success for Puntland authorities, but the mass escape could intensify scrutiny of local security operations. Authorities now face the urgent task of locating the remaining fugitives while determining how such a large number of suspects were able to leave custody.
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