Iraqi tribe claims it battled Somali pirates to free hijacked ship
The tribal members are from Abu al-Khasib, south of Basra, on the Shatt al Arab waterway. The men come from the village of Jaykur, close to the Iranian border.
An Iraqi tribe, the Al-Shaghanba from southern Iraq, claims they engaged in a battle with Somali pirates in order to free a ship that had been hijacked, according to reports circulating on Arabic social media. The tribe announced they had recovered a ship, owned by one of their own businessmen, after it had been hijacked by Somali pirates. The ship, carrying oil from the UAE to Europe, had been held by the pirates for a month, demanding a ransom for its release.
The Al-Shaghanba tribal clan stated that they sent members to the seas off Somalia to fight the pirates. The tribal members reportedly fought a gun battle with the pirates, lasting around five hours, during which several pirates were killed or wounded and subsequently captured. Several vessels were involved in the clash, though the circumstances leading up to the encounter are unclear. The Al-Shaghanba claimed to have acted in accordance with Islamic teachings, stating that they fought in self-defense against the pirates.
Basra Today released a statement attributed to the Al-Shaghanba clan, which is part of the Obadah tribe. The statement quoted an Islamic text that said, "But if anyone transgresses against you, then transgress against him in the same way as he transgressed against you. And fear Allah; and know that Allah is with those who fear Him." The statement also mentioned that the tribe had communicated, coordinated, and obtained authorization from the government of Somalia before taking action.
Kurdistan24 reported that 40 members of the Basra tribe assisted in freeing an oil tanker seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. According to a local media report, a tribal sheikh, Sheikh Ali al-Shaghanba, confirmed that the incident occurred. He added that the Al-Shaghanba successfully captured seven alleged attackers and secured the crew's release. The sheikh claimed that seven pirates were captured during the operation, while others managed to escape.
In another incident off the coast of Somalia in August, the Turkish Navy reported battling pirates. The Turkish Navy's 10-day operation resulted in the elimination of four pirate boats and the killing of 14 pirates.
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