Somali Pirates Tie Their Demands to Negotiations with the Pakistani Government Archives - Kaab TV

Somali and Pakistani Foreign Ministers Discuss Release of Crew Members Aboard MT Honour 25

Staff Reporter — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:47:15 +0000

MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalam Ali, held a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, to discuss ongoing efforts aimed at securing the release of Pakistani nationals aboard the hijacked vessel MT Honour 25.

According to a statement issued by Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Abdisalam reaffirmed the Somali government’s commitment to supporting efforts to ensure the safety and swift release of those onboard the vessel.

The two officials also agreed to maintain close cooperation and regular communication until a resolution is reached regarding the situation involving the ship and its crew.

The ministers further welcomed the strong bilateral relations between Somalia and Pakistan, emphasizing the importance of strengthening cooperation and advancing shared interests between Mogadishu and Islamabad.

The discussions come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation surrounding the MT Honour 25 and the crew members being held aboard the vessel.

The oil tanker, sailing under the flag of Palau, was hijacked off the Somali coast earlier this year, with reports indicating that several Pakistani nationals are among the crew members still being held.

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Somali Pirates Disembark from Previously Hijacked UAE-Owned Vessel

Staff Reporter — Sat, 09 May 2026 08:18:35 +0000

Mogadishu (Kaab TV) — A group of Somali pirates have disembarked from a United Arab Emirates-owned vessel that they previously hijacked last month after failing to use it to launch attacks against other ships, Puntland officials told AFP.

The group, consisting of 11 pirates, seized the vessel Fahad-4 in late April while it was sailing about 10 nautical miles off the coast near the Dhinowda area in northeastern Somalia.

So far, there has been no official information regarding the condition of the crew aboard the vessel, which was carrying lemons. The Somali government has also not yet publicly disclosed the vessel’s whereabouts.

Puntland security officials said the pirates operated from an area near the port town of Garacad, located approximately 600 kilometers north of Mogadishu.

After taking control of the vessel, the pirates attempted to use it to launch attacks on other ships navigating Somali waters.

One security official told AFP that the group eventually abandoned the vessel on May 4 after running low on supplies and failing to carry out further attacks due to heightened vigilance by ships traveling along the Somali coast in recent weeks.

The incident comes amid growing concerns over the resurgence of Somali piracy after years of declining maritime attacks in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.

The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), which monitors maritime security in the Indian Ocean, stated that the threat level of piracy has now been raised to “very high” following a series of attacks targeting commercial vessels.

Maritime observers also reported that several recently hijacked ships remain under pirate control, including the Barbados-flagged oil tanker Honour 25, which was seized off the Puntland coast on April 21, and the Syrian-flagged vessel Sward.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Gulf of Aden, pirates also captured the Togo-flagged oil tanker Eureka before redirecting it toward the Somali coast.

Authorities have not yet officially identified the groups responsible for these attacks. In the past, hijackings have involved armed fishermen and groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda.

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Somali Pirates Tie Their Demands to Negotiations with the Pakistani Government

Staff Reporter — Tue, 05 May 2026 13:25:10 +0000

Mogadishu (Kaab TV) – Somali pirates have demanded direct talks with representatives of the Government of Pakistan, according to sources close to the group, as concern grows among the families of the hostages.

The pirates have also released new photos showing 17 crew members of the vessel Honor 25, including 10 Pakistani nationals, who have been held since the ship was hijacked on April 21. For the past two weeks, the families of the hostages have been living in constant fear and anxiety over the safety of their loved ones.

Ansar Burney, chairman of the Ansar Burney Trust, said that although some contact has been established with the pirates, the government has yet to take any effective action to address the situation.

Qurat-ul-Ain, a director at the organization, stated that the pirates made it clear they would only present their demands to an official representative of the Pakistani government. However, there has been no response, even to emails sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She also noted that the pirates have reached out to the governments of Indonesia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, as seven of the crew members are from those countries.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s federal government says it is in contact with relevant parties to secure the release of its detained citizens.

Eighty-year-old Umar Farooq said he has been making relentless efforts to secure his son’s release. “At this age, I am forced to run from place to place in distress,” he said, noting that his son, Kashif Umar, is among those being held.

Similarly, Ali Akbar, brother of hostage Imran Ali, urged the government to take immediate action to rescue the Pakistani nationals. He said the latest photos of the hostages have given families some hope, as they confirm their loved ones are still alive.

The families of the hostages gathered at the Ansar Burney Trust office, jointly calling for at least the formation of an official committee to provide regular updates on efforts to secure their relatives’ release. They said they feel confused and abandoned, unsure of where to seek help or whom to contact.

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