Monday 4, August 2025 {HMC} A high-level delegation of Turkish diplomats and military officials arrived in Bosaso this week for talks with Puntland authorities over a seized cargo vessel carrying Turkish-made military equipment, intensifying a constitutional showdown between Somalia’s federal government and the semi-autonomous regional state.
The vessel, Sea World, flying the Comoros flag, was intercepted on July 18 by Puntland’s Maritime Police Force (PMPF) near the coastal town of Bareda in the Gardafuu region. The ship, which had reportedly departed from the Turkish port of Izmir and was headed to Mogadishu, was found to be carrying armoured vehicles, mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs), and anti-aircraft guns—many bearing Turkish military markings.
Puntland officials stated the vessel had loitered for two days in Puntland-administered waters near a region where security forces have been conducting operations against ISIS-affiliated militants. The regional government cited national security concerns and invoked the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to justify its interception and inspection of the vessel.
“The Puntland government has the legal right to inspect and take action against vessels in its waters,” the Ministry of Information said in a July 21 statement. “This vessel’s unauthorized presence and the nature of its cargo are violations of both international maritime law and Somalia’s national security protocols.”
The federal government in Mogadishu responded forcefully, accusing Puntland of hijacking a lawful shipment authorized under a bilateral defence agreement with Türkiye. In a July 23 statement, the government said the ship was bound for the TÜRKSOM Military Training Centre in Mogadishu and included additional commercial goods belonging to Somali traders.
“The hijacking of this vessel is not only a grave violation of Somalia’s Provisional Constitution but also an attack on the country’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity,” the statement read, citing Article 54 of the constitution, which grants the federal government exclusive authority over national defence and maritime security.
Federal officials warned Puntland against conducting unilateral maritime operations, stating that such actions undermine national cohesion and could jeopardize Somalia’s security partnerships with foreign allies.
Puntland, however, has disputed both the nature of the cargo and the federal government’s legal standing. In a July 24 statement, Puntland said there were no commercial goods aboard the Sea World, and the entire cargo consisted of military hardware of unclear ownership. The government also confirmed that a group of local fishermen boarded the vessel before the PMPF arrived, prompting concerns that some weapons may have been looted.
“The Puntland Government continues its investigation into the vessel and the rightful ownership of its cargo to ensure that the military equipment does not fall into the hands that might threaten Somalia’s security and stability,” a spokesperson said in a July 25 release.
Photographs circulated online appear to have shown civilians handling firearms believed to have been removed from the ship.
Turkey, which operates the TÜRKSOM military base in Mogadishu and has played a major role in training Somali National Army (SNA) personnel since 2017, has not publicly confirmed or denied its involvement with the shipment. However, according to former Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, the Turkish ambassador in Mogadishu conveyed that the cargo was legally destined for the SNA.
“In a meeting with the Turkish ambassador today, I was informed that the MV Sea World vessel was carrying military equipment for TURKSOM,” Sharmarke wrote in a social media post on July 24. “The Ambassador stated that he reached out to Puntland but to no avail. In this view, Puntland has legal obligations to release the ship without delay.”
Sharmarke warned that failure to resolve the issue could strain Somalia’s relationship with Turkey and undermine military rebuilding efforts supported by foreign allies.
The seizure comes more than a year and a half after the United Nations lifted its decades-long arms embargo on the Somali government in December 2023. While the federal government hailed the decision as a step toward sovereignty and self-reliance, regional states, including Puntland and Somaliland, expressed concern that Somalia lacked the institutional safeguards to regulate weapons imports. In remarks earlier this month, Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan reportedly linked the Sea World seizure to more general concerns about post-embargo arms proliferation, suggesting the UN’s 2023 decision had contributed to increased regional security risks and illicit weapons flows.
Tensions between Puntland and the federal government have deteriorated rapidly since May 2024, when Garowe announced it would suspend cooperation with federal security deployments unless prior consultation was guaranteed. The Sea World standoff has become the most visible manifestation of this rift, with both sides accusing each other of constitutional overreach and undermining national cohesion.
The ship remains docked at the Port of Bosaso.
Source Hiiraan Onnline
