Friday, October 31, 2008
Although warships from US-led Combined Maritime Force and NATO are patrolling waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, gangs are still attacking commercial freighters in the region.
"Piracy should be eradicated by the involvement of all countries that are willing to help Somalia," Hussein told reporters in Nairobi.
"My country is grateful to all those who have sent warships to Somali waters to fight piracy."
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| Map showing where Somali pirates target the main shipping route to the Suez Canal |
Early this week, presidents from the east African Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, meeting in Nairobi, supported the use of force against pirates.
According to the International Maritime Bureau, 77 ships have been attacked off Somalia since January, 31 were hijacked while 10 were still being held for ransom along with about 200 crew members.
Pirates are rife and well organised in the area where Somalia's northeastern tip juts into the Indian Ocean, preying on a key maritime route leading to the Suez Canal through which an estimated 30 percent of the world's oil transits.
In addition to
coalition naval forces, NATO warships and ships and aircraft from
several other nations have been deployed in the region to protect
commercial shipping.
SOURCE: AFP, Friday, October 31, 2008