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Somalia seeks US to combat pirates

Apr 19, 2006 10:22 AM

Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi has asked the United States to help patrol his country's dangerous coastal waters to curb growing piracy, Somali legislators said on Tuesday.

The US Navy and Washington officials denied some reports that Washington and Gedi's government had already struck a deal.

"The Somali government did not talk to the US Navy. The US Navy has no agreement with the Somali government," said Lieutenant-Commander Charlie Brown, spokesman for the Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet.

"The State Department has not negotiated any such contracts or agreements," the US State Department said in a statement.

"We have held diplomatic discussions with representatives from the Transitional Federal Government concerning a number of areas of possible co-operation, including anti-piracy efforts."

Somalia's coastal waters have become among the world's most dangerous since warlords ousted former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and central government disintegrated.

An interim government headed by Gedi and President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was formed in 2004 but has proved fragile and fractious, leaving power largely in the hands of warlords presiding over a patchwork of rival fiefdoms.

Gedi has often said he wants US help in fighting piracy, citing the country's lack of a coherent security force.

Sheikh Jama Haji Hussein, a Somali legislator, told Reuters that Gedi had told parliament he had requested US assistance.

"He told us he met with the US ambassador to Kenya and requested US support to help curb piracy on our coast." Hussein said from Baidoa, where parliament is meeting.

Legislator Suleiman Olad Roble confirmed that account. Neither Gedi nor his spokesman could be reached for comment.

In effect, the US Navy is already on the lookout for pirates during regular patrols in the northern Indian Ocean along Somalia's coastline, the longest in Africa.

It has been involved in at least three incidents with pirates this year, including one last month in which destroyers fired on suspected pirates, killing one and wounding five.

It also captured 10 suspected pirates and sent them to Kenya where they are standing trial for piracy.

A group of gunmen seized a South Korean trawler off Somalia this month and is holding its 25 crew captive.