Europe To Send Warships To Defeat Somali Pirates
-- Times Online
-- Times Online
Europe is setting up an anti-piracy taskforce to help protect the lawless sea lanes off east Africa, where heavily armed Somali hijackers have overrun more than 30 ships this year and raked in at least $30 million in ransom.
At least 10 European Union countries have volunteered to contribute to the joint air and sea operation, which is expected to comprise three frigates, three surveillance vessels and a supply ship.
Britain has indicated its probable support for the taskforce, which could be in place within days to help combat pirates who have stepped up their hostile attacks 100 per cent in the last year.
"The aim is to go quickly," said Laurent Tesseire, a spokesman for the French Defence Ministry, which is organising the EU plan in partnership with Nato.
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More News On Somali Pirates
EU force to fight Somali pirates -- BBC News
Somalia Embraces Foreign Assistance Against Pirates -- Washington Post
Somali Islamists tell pirates to destroy Ukrainian arms ship -- AFP
Kenya: Who Really Owns These Tanks? -- Allafrica
Pirates shine spotlight on Ukraine's arms-trafficking -- Hong Kong Standard
Kenyan police arrest regional maritime official over piracy -- China View
Piracy off the Somalia coast -- Al Jazeera
Report warns Somali piracy threat to world trade -- AFP
Somali piracy threatens trade, boosts terrorists, analysts say -- CNN