Somali Counter-piracy Offensive Paying Off
Piracy off the Somali Coast falls to lowest levels in years as result of tough measures on land & at sea.
As Kenyan Defense Forces continue to weaken Al-Shabaab on the ground in Somalia, new reports indicates Somali pirates off the coast have similarly been weakened this year. According to the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Center, “The number of ships signaling attacks by Somali pirates has fallen this year [2012] to its lowest since 2009.” For example, only one ship has reported an attempted attack by Somali pirates from July 2012 to September 2012, compared with 36 incidents in the same three month period last year.
Kenya has taken drastic action to combat piracy in the past decade. More recently, Kenya has taken delivery of a new naval warship to patrol the waters off Somalia because security on the seas is crucial for the security of the region. The Kenyan navy has said it intends to boost its maritime patrols to further enhance security on the seas and thwart the scourge of piracy.