Drone Strike Kills Four Suspected Pirates Off Puntland's Nugaal Coast, a Day After Lutuf Hijacking

A drone strike killed four suspected pirates near Garmaal on Puntland's Nugaal coast, in Eyl district, on Tuesday afternoon, August 18, 2026 — a day after the hijacking of the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship Lutuf. The men were reportedly traveling in a small boat from the sea toward shore, allegedly heading to resupply, when they came under attack; two others were wounded. It remains unclear who carried out the strike: no government, military coalition, or private security contractor had claimed responsibility as of publication, though Puntland security officials said the drone appeared to belong to the Turkish government, and unconfirmed social media reports linked it to the Turksom military cooperation programme — none of which could be independently verified. Local reporting also noted the previously hijacked vessel MV Sward is being used by the pirate group as a command vessel.