RTBF: US-Iran war fuels resurgence of Somali piracy

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has reached its highest level in the region since 2013, with the war between the United States and Iran among the factors contributing to the increase, Belgian broadcaster RTBF reports.

The broadcaster said a combination of tensions in Somalia, a severe humanitarian crisis and weakened maritime deterrence had contributed to the resurgence, raising concern among international naval forces operating in the region since 2008.

It said the US-Iran conflict had created an “unexpected window of opportunity” for Somali pirate networks, which had been operating for decades.

According to publication, military attention has shifted towards the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, while international maritime traffic has fallen sharply and oil prices have risen.

The broadcaster said higher oil prices increased the potential gains for pirates, making the area more favourable to piracy networks along one of the world’s most unstable trade routes.

RTBF cited data from the headquarters of the EU’s Operation Atalanta, which combats piracy in the western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. About 20 attacks have been recorded since January, it said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev