Resurgence of Somali Piracy Threatens Global Shipping Routes amid Conflict in Yemen

A recent incident involving a car bomb in a small Somalian town and subsequent troop mortar fire has drawn attention to the increasing number of piracy attacks emanating from Somalia. Six suspected pirates were recently apprehended by a European naval force after they fired upon an oil tanker travelling through the Gulf of Aden, potentially adding to this trend. This attack follows a decrease in piracy incidents off the Somali coast between 2011 and 2021, with the number of reported attacks falling from 237 in 2011 to none in 2021, thanks in part to increased naval patrols, a stronger central government in Mogadishu, and other measures. However, concerns regarding new attacks have resurfaced in recent months, with five reported incidents occurring off the Somali coast during the first quarter of 2024. These incidents were attributed to Somali pirates, who are now demonstrating increasingly advanced tactics, such as targeting vessels far from the Somali shoreline. The International Maritime Bureau warns that these pirates have even been reported to have seized dhows and fishing vessels, which serve as effective mother ships for launching further attacks. Recent evidence suggests that these attacks may be linked to ongoing conflict in nearby Yemen, where the Houthi rebels have been targeting shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait as part of their efforts to halt the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. In March, the Indian Navy captured multiple suspected pirates following a seizure of a bulk carrier and the abduction of its 17-member crew. Similarly, in April, twenty-three crew members aboard the Bangladeshi cargo carrier MV Abdullah were released by pirates, although the terms of their release remain unclear. As these attacks continue, experts urge caution and highlight the need for continued vigilance against these escalating threats.