In October alone, three incidents of maritime piracy were registered off the coast of Somalia, reminiscent of the chaos of past decades. The resurgence of the "practice" is linked to the threat from the Houthis in Yemen and provoked by tensions between the countries of the Horn of Africa, UNN reports with reference to Bloomberg.
Details
The Horn of Africa had a reputation as a dangerous region for global maritime trade between 2008 and 2012 due to pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia. After a decade of relative calm, the threat has re-emerged and is becoming increasingly apparent.
In October, several incidents (three cases are mentioned) were recorded off the coast of the Horn of Africa, reminiscent of the chaos sown by Somali pirates along the East African coast for more than ten years.
The resurgence of maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia is facilitated by instability in Yemen and actions by the Houthis, whom the US has designated as a terrorist group. In addition, the practice of maritime piracy has re-emerged in an updated form due to the consequences of internal disputes between African countries.
According to the International Maritime Bureau, five incidents were recorded in the waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden in the nine months leading up to September.
The threat to shipping remains "although piracy is inherently opportunistic." This is according to Daniel Mueller, a senior analyst and head of the Middle East and Indian Ocean department at the British maritime security company Ambrey.
At the same time, he is confident that "increased military efforts to combat piracy and the widespread use of vessel hardening and physical security measures are likely to limit the likelihood of seizures or vessel hijacking."
To prevent a resurgence, Somali lawmakers on Monday approved anti-piracy legislation.
For now, the East African state lacks the resources or capabilities to combat crime and relies on foreign military to protect key government officials and buildings.
Recall
Off the coast of Somalia, a Maltese-flagged tanker was fired upon with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, after which armed attackers boarded it. The Greek shipping company confirmed the attack, stating that all 24 crew members were safe.
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