The European Union’s anti-piracy naval force, Operation Atalanta, is reflecting deeply on extending the range of their activities to the beaches of Somalia, where the piracy developments are deemed to be the most intensive.
The EU committee has requested the force’s commander to develop plans for revising the rules of engagement between EU forces and Somali pirates. According to the German Foreign Minister Spokesman said the topic of discussion is the limited destruction of piracy logistics on the beach and not a full deployment of forces on land.
Directing the Horn of Africa’s anti-piracy mission to the beaches would enable EU forces to destroying the pirates’ equipment on the beaches of Somalia instead of just patrolling the seas off the coast.
The spokesman added that no certain decisions have been made however the talks are evolving.
[mappress]
World Maritime News Staff, January 2, 2012; Image: GeethaMil