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Hiiraan Online Today from Hiiraan Online: Somali Music advertisements UKMTO warns ships after suspicious activity off Somali coast FacebookFacebook messengerTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInTelegramEmail Thursday October 30, 2025 Mogadishu (HOL) — The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has issued an advisory warning commercial ships to exercise caution when sailing near Somali waters after reports of suspicious activity involving two vessels off the coast of Gara’ad in Puntland. In its Advisory 037/25, dated October 28, 2025, UKMTO said: “UKMTO has received a report of suspicious activity in the region of Gara’ad, 106 nautical miles south of Eyl, Somalia. Local authorities report engaging with two dhows acting suspiciously. One dhow has been seized by the authorities. The second dhow has evaded capture and remains unlocated at this time. Authorities will continue to investigate. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO or MSCIO.” The advisory followed reports from military sources indicating that the dhows were operating under suspicious circumstances in a known smuggling corridor along Somalia’s northern coast. Local Puntland authorities confirmed that one vessel was detained for investigation, while the other remains at sea. Security officials believe the seized dhow may be linked to an Iran-supported network trafficking weapons and narcotics to Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The warning follows a recent statement by Yemen’s Interior Minister, Major General Ibrahim Haydan, who revealed that some Houthi cells arrested by Yemeni security forces had direct ties to Somalia’s al-Shabab, al-Qaida’s East African affiliate. Speaking to Al Hadath TV earlier this week, Haydan said, “Some of the Houthi cells we’ve dismantled were not operating alone; they were linked to Al-Shabaab networks, which pose a serious threat to Yemen’s internal security and regional stability.” He confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that intelligence reports suggest logistical and operational coordination between the Houthis and al-Shabab, including weapons transfers, training exchanges, and maritime intelligence sharing. Some security analysts say the Houthis’ growing collaboration with al-Shabab reflects a strategic shift following tighter naval patrols between Iran and Yemen. Smuggling networks have increasingly turned to Somalia’s and Sudan’s coastlines to move weapons and contraband across the Red Sea. Maritime experts warn that this trend marks an emerging security threat to one of the world’s busiest sea lanes, where commercial shipping already faces risks from piracy, extremist activity, and geopolitical instability. Opinion| Privacy Policy|Sports|Somali Music|Somali Map All Rights Reserved Copyright. © 1999-2025, www.hiiraan.com
