Bosaso (Raxanreeb Online) — Authorities in Puntland have launched an urgent investigation after light weapons from a recently seized vessel ended up in the hands of civilians — a development that has raised serious concerns over arms control and public safety in the region.

According to an official directive from the Prosecutor’s Office in Ras Caseyr region, the ship — named Sea World and sailing under the Comoros flag — was intercepted on July 18 near the coastal town of Bareeda. The vessel, reportedly carrying weapons intended for Mogadishu, was escorted to the port of Bosaso by Puntland security forces.

Shockingly, part of the weapons cargo was found to have already been distributed among civilians in the districts of Bareeda and Alula — a situation the authorities described as unacceptable and dangerous.

“This is not just a breach of protocol — it’s a threat to civilian safety and regional stability,” a local official familiar with the investigation told Raxanreeb Online. “We are determined to find out how these weapons ended up in the wrong hands.”

The prosecutor’s office has formally instructed the regional police command to retrieve all offloaded weapons immediately and to conduct a full investigation into those responsible. Security agencies have also begun a detailed inventory of the remaining weapons still on board Sea World, which remains docked at Bosaso port.

So far, no group or government has officially claimed ownership of the seized weapons. However, unconfirmed reports suggest the cargo may have been part of a military aid shipment from Türkiye intended for the Somali federal government — though this has not been verified.

The incident comes at a delicate time, just days after the UN lifted a long-standing arms embargo on Somalia — a decision that has sparked concern among regional administrations like Puntland and Somaliland, who fear it could lead to increased weapon proliferation and instability.

As investigations continue, all eyes are on Puntland’s next steps — and on how Somalia’s federal government and international partners, including Türkiye, will respond.