- @
- Followers:
No Tweets Found
CNN POLITICS ON FACEBOOK » | CNN POLITICS ON TWITTER »
European Union forces attack pirate targets on Somali shore
European Union naval forces on Tuesday struck Somali pirate targets on the coast of the country in the first raids by the European force on the Somali mainland.
“We believe this action by the EU Naval Force will further increase the pressure on, and disrupt pirates’ efforts to get out to sea to attack merchant shipping and dhows," Rear Adm. Duncan Potts, operational commander of the force, said in a statement.
Several pirate attack skiffs, the small boats pirates use to attack merchant vessels in the open ocean, were destroyed in the raid, said Timo Lange, media officer at the naval force's headquarters in England.
No Somalis were injured in the raid, which was conducted entirely by air, the force's statement said.
"The local Somali people and fishermen – many of whom have suffered so much because of piracy in the region, can be reassured that our focus was on known pirate supplies and will remain so in the future," Potts said in the statement.
On March 23, the Council of the European Union said the naval force would be permitted to attack pirate installations on shore.
The force currently has nine warships and five maritime patrol aircraft operating off Somalia under Operation ATALANTA, which began in December 2008.
In April, the International Maritime Bureau reported that pirate attacks off Somalia had decreased dramatically during the first quarter of the year as compared to a year earlier.
On Twitter
From a aircraft how do you differentiate between a small boat used by fishermen and a small boat used by pirates? I know! The pirate boats are flying the Jolly Roger!
Those air raids are conducted by the helicopters stationed aboard the warships, they can search for weapons or other material (ladders etc.) which proves that it's not a fishing boat, before they use their machine gun to destroy the boats.
Not to mention that pirate skiffs might be spotted by maritime patrol aircrafts.
Doesn't matter.
The pirates are the ones with the guns......the fishermen have the fishing poles.
How do you tell? You look at the guy beside the boat. If he's holding a gun and covered in bullets, he might just be a pirate.
You look for the RPG's laying on the deck.
If you ever served in any air surveillance unit, you'd know how to identify the ones you are after.
Their called imagery analysts, and theres also intelligence specialists that can tell just by looking at it what it is and what its loadout is. That's because we've been trained and are constantly retrained in the mission, tactics, and what the enemy uses.
imagery analysts and intelligence specialists who are trained to be able to look at an image or realtime video of ships. You can tell by a ships profile what it is. You dont even have to be in the military to do it.
doesnt matter. sink them all.
There people on the ground giving GPS locations or lighting them up with lasers.
Good work EU!
Do not upset pirates by killing, capture then release pirates.
Practice human right, they are not pirate unless they force up the ships.
"The Sand People are easily startled, but they will soon be back, and in greater numbers."
Then, there will be more pirates to toast. 🙂
It read to me that they were hitting the pirate's caches of supplies..........
Time for the Euros to foot the bill for something
Yes, its about time someone else in this world does something to rid the world of popo besides the United States.
BOOM
\__/
..I.I..
./...\.
.\.../.
...v...
Too much Chan4Chan for you...
Good.
Something has to be done...it's crazy over there.
Nobody has been killed, and that's a good thing...
Why is it a good thing no pirates were killed? Allowing them to live means some will find another boat and continue their actions. Kill em and they will not repeat their crimes, guaranteed.
Yeah, because the death penalty has proven to prevent others from committing crimes. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
We need to let them live. That way we can follow them to thier buried treasure. Remember the old saying, "Dead men tell no tales," i.e. a dead pirate won't tell you where he buried the booty at. 🙂
Pirates!
good, about time! get rid of them 'em!
... yeah.. yeah... yeah... Pirates NEVER use fishing boats... Brilliant. Great workl everybody.
Send in the drones.
meh... report fails to mention U.S. logistical support... as usual.
Did you ever think they might not have that info because it could be classified? and FYI logistical support means supplies, like tangible goods; food, ammo etc... which we do not need to provide to the EU, tehy have their own. And our INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT wouldnt be discussed on this forum unless it has been vetted and disected to remove any sensative information that doesnt need to be public knowledge since this is an OPEN SOURCE of info that EVERYONE has access to.
"Several pirate attack skiffs, the small boats pirates use ... were destroyed in the raid... "
Woo hoo!! Seal Team 6, eat your heart out.