The rescue was conducted jointly with 40 armed members of the Al-Shaghanba tribe from Basra, Iraq, who mobilized after pirates seized the ship owned by one of their tribesmen. The tribal fighters engaged in a 5 hour firefight with the hijackers to reclaim the vessel and its crew by force. The Sibu 1 is US-sanctioned and has been reported as having links to Iran.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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Puntland Forces Arrest 47 Pirates After Freeing Sibu 1 Tanker
Commodities23 days ago
An operation in the Gulf of Aden to recover the Sibu 1 oil tanker ended with Puntland security forces detaining 47 suspected pirates. The recovery of the US-sanctioned vessel ended a 5 week hijacking and marks the third ship recently freed by Somali forces. Officials stated the incident underscores a growing resurgence of piracy across the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin.
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