SOMALIA / FRANCE: Somali authorities urge use of "force" on pirates in the Gulf of Eden

Record ID: 1530616

  • Title: SOMALIA / FRANCE: Somali authorities urge use of "force" on pirates in the Gulf of Eden
  • Date: 5th September 2008
  • Summary: (BN13) BOSASSO, SOMALIA (SEPTEMBER 3, 2008) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) PUNTLAND MINISTER OF FISHERIES AND PORTS, AHMED SAID AW-NUR, SAYING: "Today is a historic day. There are more than 10 ships being held by Somali pirates. If they got this money they are demanding I think this would make them more dangerous to the international community. The Puntland administration
  • Embargoed: 20th September 2008 12:27
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVAF0KWS91LRIW9RSH1DZJC5FGDP
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: A government official from Somalia's northern semi-autonomous region of Puntland is urging countries whose nationals and shipping vessels have been hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden to use force.
    Somali gunmen are currently holding about 10 vessels for ransom at Eyl, a lawless former fishing outpost in the Puntland region.
    A ship from Egypt was hijacked on Thursday (September 4) and a French yacht a day before, with two French nationals onboard.

    "Today is a historic day. There are more than 10 ships being held by Somali pirates. If they got this money they are demanding I think this would make them more dangerous to the international community. The Puntland administration is appealing to companies and governments to which these ships belong, the ones whose nationals are being held by Somali pirates, not to pay any ransom but to use force. I congratulate the Malaysian Government for it's efforts to use force for the two ships belonging to a Malaysian company. We are requesting any government to try and attack the pirates and we are welcoming that," said Puntland's Fisheries and Ports Minister, Ahmed Said Aw-Nur.
    A recent resolution at the United Nations Security Council gave the right to chase pirates into Somalia's territorial waters, but French government officials did not say if that option would be exercised, but they said they are ready to intervene if necessary.

    "We have important French military forces in Djibouti, these forces are ready to intervene on any mission we will give them." said Captain Prazuck, spokesman for the French navy.
    Prazuck said navy forces were ready:
    "The "Courbet" frigate is on location in the Gulf of Aden, as planned, as part of the multi national Task Force 150 made up of 12 vessels who are patrolling in the Gulf of Aden to dissuade piracy."
    In April, French commandos launched a helicopter raid to arrest six Somali pirates after they freed the 30-strong crew of a luxury yacht they had hijacked days earlier.
    Somali gunmen have seized at least 30 vessels so far this year, making the shipping lanes off the Horn of Africa country the most dangerous in the world.
    They are currently demanding a ransom of more than $9 million to free two Malaysian tankers, a Japanese-managed bulk carrier and a Nigerian tug boat held captive near Eyl.
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