Somalia welcomes arrival of NATO ships to deter piracy
October 19, 2008 (MOGADISHU) — Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein Sunday welcomed the arrival of seven North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) warships to patrol for pirates off the Somalia’s coastline , in a bid to deter the ramping maritime piracy in the region.
More than 60 ships have been attacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden this year alone, compared with about half that in 2007, according to a report released earlier this month by Chatham House, a London-based institute that analyzes international affairs.
“We are so delighted with the arrival of those NATO ships into our waters and they have our full consent to fight against the pirates,” the prime minister said at a news conference. “NATO can carry out any acts including military actions in our waters against the pirates,” he added.
Somali Pirates are still holding a Ukrainian ship carrying Soviet-made tanks, artillery shells, grenade launchers and small arms off Somalia’s coast and are demanding a $20 million ransom. The MV Faina was seized in late September and is being monitored by nearby U.S. naval ships.
The United Nations Security Council on Oct. 7 asked all nations to help fight piracy in the region to address the growing problem for ships traveling through the Suez Canal and Gulf of Aden.
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Allaman Ikoilaman
Somalia welcomes arrival of NATO ships to deter piracy
Those Pirates are being sponsored by Bashir and the Somalian Prime Minister, on the pretext of monitoring any ship coming from the Great Lake Regions to the Coast of East Africa which they fear that, they may be carrying guns to South Sudan based Government. Pirates are the Water Terrorists and should be dealt with accordingly.
It is good that, NATO is coming to protect the fleets and people on board. They have to response to such bogus pirates militarily.
Thanks.
XC.