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Category:Indian action drama filmsDecember 28, 2014
U.S. Government Shifts Attention To Violent Somali Pirates As Fight Escalates
From Newscast Media:
The U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday, December 24, began escorting commercial tankers as a new trend of Somali pirates have seized vessels in the Gulf of Aden.
Officials say the shift comes as the U.S. battles pirates in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
"On Christmas Eve, pirates attacked the Liberty Sun, a 107,000-tonne tanker in the Gulf of Aden. The ship was forced to ground in international waters while a pirate skiff with armed pirates boarded the ship and took the crew off on Christmas Day," says Jim Gilchrist, a retired Royal Navy commander.
While commercial vessels are under the protection of the U.S. Coast Guard, officials say they are being aggressive in stopping pirates.
But many observers say that isn't enough to stop piracy.
"We can only use it as a deterrent when we do engage. We should have been using it months and months ago," says Marcus Obe, a former assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
The U.S. Navy also says it is being vigilant.
"I wouldn't say that this is significant to the U.S. This is a very important area of concern to the U.S.," says Rob Dumas, director of the Navy's anti-piracy task force in the Gulf of Aden.
Tensions between Somalia and the U.S. have been rising over the past several months as Somalia has intensified attacks on shipping.
"This year we've had ships attacked in Somali waters in the Gulf of Aden. The U.S. response has been to start escorting vessels on these routes and we are sending frigates and destroyers on these patrols," says Dumas.
The U.S. State Department has announced a number of measures against the Somali pirates.
A U.S. State Department spokesman says his agency is working with the U.N., the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard to "reinforce and protect" commercial vessels, in part by escorting vessels be359ba680
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