| Eyl | |
|---|---|
| Overview of Eyl town. | |
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Eyl
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Somalia |
| Region | Puntland |
| District | Nugaal |
| Population | |
| • Total | 19,000 |
| Time zone | East Africa Time (UTC+3) |
Eyl is an ancient town in the northern Puntland region of Somalia. It is situated near the Hafun peninsula.
Eyl is the site of many historical artifacts from Somalia's pre-colonial period. Along with a rock shelter in the southern town of Buur Heybe, it is the seat of the first professional archaeological excavation in the country.[1]
In the late 2000s, Eyl became a pirate haven,[2] with more than a dozen ships being held captive by pirate crews.[3] However, by 2010, intensive security operations by Puntland military forces reportedly managed to force out the pirate gangs from their traditional safe havens in the hamlet as well as adjacent settlements, with the pirates now primarily operating from a few towns in the neighboring Galmudug region.[4]