Pirates Become Politicians. Poachers Become Wardens By Robert Young Pelton, Somalia Report The most talked about, not talked about, story this week is who will replace Sterling Corporate Services as show runner for the UAE-funded, Puntland-based, anti-piracy program. Although the Puntland Marine Police Force still exists as a nominal armed force, the foreign mentors were … [Read more...]
Not Just Numbers: New Study Examines the Human Cost of Piracy
Oceans Beyond Piracy, the same advocacy group that calculated the economic cost of piracy by the numbers, has just released its second annual installment of it's "Human Cost of Piracy" report. The study includes a statistical analysis of the threats of violence caused by acts of piracy and was produced in conjunction with data and information from the International Maritime … [Read more...]
Somali Eyewitnesses Describe Air Strikes Against Pirate Bases – Somalia Report
As we saw yesterday, the European Union's Naval force, known as EUNAVFOR, has conducted its first airstrikes on pirate targets along the beaches in Somalia since declaring in March that they will begin targeting pirate gangs onshore. The attacks were launched from which were targeted along the coastline near the city of Harardehere, were successful and welcomed by most with … [Read more...]
Trading Life for Money – a Somalia Report Exclusive
A Reformed Pirate Tells his Story By Abdihakim Warsame, Somalia Report Youth are a largely curious and impressionable lot who are prone towards the more dramatic and popular occupations and lifestyles. Many young men in Somalia would be very happy to be called a pirate, a Mujaheed or a militiaman. These titles portray power, influence and most importantly spread fear. He … [Read more...]
Somalia Report: Iranian Warship Thwarts Pirate Hijacking of Oil Tanker
By JD, Somalia Report The Iranian Navy rescued an oil tanker from an attempted pirate hijacking in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, according to Somali pirates based in Harardhere. These sources added that the pirates involved were from Garacad and Ceel-dhanaane area of Mudug region. A pirate based in Harardhere area told Somalia Report, “Three groups of pirates were in … [Read more...]