Somalia: Ships Warned to Stay Away Because of Pirates

Archives

October 5, 2005: The recently freed UN food boat was towed, by another released (by pirates) ship, to a port north of Mogadishu, and is unloading its 850 tons of rice before returning to Kenya. The ship may not be back, because of over two dozen pirate attacks off the Somali coast this year. The two ships recently released apparently involved payment of a ransom, but no one will officially admit this, lest other pirates be encouraged.

October 3, 2005: In Mogadishu, rival gangs fought a battle over turf, leaving six dead and over ten wounded. Meanwhile, gunmen have left the UN food boat they had seized last June. In lower Somalia, a UN aid official (a Somali) was shot dead while returning home, causing the evacuation of other UN personnel from the area.

September 28, 2005: The government has warned ships to stay away from the Somali coast, because the government cannot control the pirates operating there.