Armed Somali pirates hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen on Saturday and diverted it toward Somali waters, the latest in a series of ship hijackings around the Horn of Africa in recent weeks.
An official in Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of Somalia, along with experts briefed by Yemeni and Somali authorities, told The New York Times that Yemenis are also suspected of involvement in the attack, and that authorities are investigating whether they have ties to armed groups, including the Houthis.
Since April, at least three vessels have been hijacked by Somali pirates off the country’s coast.
The attack has heightened concerns over possible coordination between Somali pirates and Houthi rebels in Yemen, raising fears of a resurgence of piracy amid the ongoing regional conflict.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
