Investigation Links Puntland Maritime Police Officers to Piracy off Somalia

An investigation into the return of piracy off Somalia’s coast found that fourteen men killed last month were members of the Puntland Maritime Police Force, or PMPF. Five other men in custody said they also belonged to the force and claimed they had been ordered to act as pirates for the Puntland administration.

The findings place Puntland’s maritime police at the center of questions about renewed piracy. The PMPF is responsible for maritime security. The allegation that its own members took part in piracy, and that some did so under orders, calls for a direct response from the administration.

Orders and the chain of command

The five detainees’ claims are especially serious. Their statements suggest the activity went beyond misconduct by individual officers. Establishing whether Puntland officials gave such orders, who issued them, and who knew about them will be central to any inquiry.

The investigation’s finding about the fourteen men killed also raises questions about oversight of the force. Puntland authorities need to explain whether the men were serving PMPF members when they died and what their commanders knew about their activities. The circumstances of their deaths must also be established.

The allegations come as piracy has returned to Somalia’s coast. For sailors and shipping companies, any attack is a direct threat to crews and vessels. For coastal communities, the reported involvement of maritime police officers adds another concern: the people assigned to protect the coast may have helped create the danger.

Puntland’s administration has an obligation to address the detainees’ account. If the men acted without orders, officials should explain what they know about their conduct and how it escaped detection. If they were acting on instructions, the question reaches into the leadership of the force and the administration responsible for it.

The five men’s statements should be examined against evidence of their PMPF service, their movements, and any communications with commanders. The same scrutiny should apply to the eight men killed. Their membership in the force is a significant finding, but investigators must also establish each man’s role in the piracy activity.

A separate allegation at Bosaso port

Puntland faces a separate allegation concerning Bosaso port. Human Rights Watch has accused the administration of helping provide logistical support to the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, in Sudan through the port, including the transport of weapons and mercenaries.

That accusation concerns a different matter from the piracy investigation. There is no basis in the information presented here to say the alleged activity at Bosaso port and the piracy cases were part of one operation. Both, however, raise questions about the conduct and oversight of Puntland’s security institutions.

The allegation involving Bosaso requires answers about the movement of people and cargo through the port. Puntland should address whether weapons or fighters bound for Sudan passed through Bosaso, who handled them, and whether any officials facilitated their passage. It should also respond to the accusation attributed to Human Rights Watch.

Sudan’s war has made allegations about weapons and fighters moving through regional ports especially grave. If Bosaso was used to support the RSF, the consequences would extend beyond Puntland and Somalia. The claim requires careful examination of the port’s operations and the role of those responsible for them.

What Puntland must answer

The piracy findings present a more immediate question for Puntland’s coast. A maritime police force depends on public trust and a clear chain of command. When detained men say they were made to commit the crimes they were supposed to prevent, the authorities must establish whether their statements are true and account for any orders given.

The investigation should also determine whether the eight men killed and the five in custody were part of the same group. Their shared reported membership in the PMPF does not, on its own, establish that they acted together. The answer matters to understanding the scale of any involvement by the force.

Puntland officials should make clear what action they have taken since the men were identified. That includes whether commanders have been questioned, whether other officers are under investigation, and what steps are being taken to protect vessels along the coast. The administration should also account for the five detainees and the deaths of the eight men.

Piracy off Somalia has consequences for people far beyond those directly involved in an attack. Crews face danger at sea, while coastal communities live with the effects of insecurity and the response to it. Claims that members of a maritime police force joined in that activity cannot be left unanswered.

The two sets of allegations require separate investigations and clear public responses. For the piracy cases, the central issue is whether PMPF members acted under orders from the Puntland administration. For Bosaso, it is whether the port was used to move weapons and mercenaries in support of the RSF. Puntland’s response to each will determine whether these questions are answered with evidence or left to deepen mistrust.