Too early to claim success in war on pirates’

The threat from Somalia-based pirates remains significant despite an apparent reduction in attacks in regional waters in the past year, according to Rear Admiral Oguz Karaman, the commanding officer of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151.
Speaking on board the CTF 151 flagship, the Turkish Navy frigate TCG Gemlik, during a port visit to Muscat, Karaman said the drop in successful attacks by pirates this year could be attributed to a number of factors, both on sea and the Somali mainland. But he said the threat to shipping remains high, urging shipmasters to do all they could to help deter pirates.
"Naval forces cannot solely guarantee the safety of all ships at sea. The so-called war on pirates is not over, but CTF 151 is ready. It is too early to claim success in combating piracy," he said. "One of the unique aspects of CTF is that we work closely with independently deployed fleets like those of India and China and share intelligence. Also, it is
important to communicate with local fishermen to gain their trust and share information. It helps us get a clearer picture on what is going on." During the stopover from October 6-11, senior officers on board the

TCG Gemlik also had the opportunity to meet officials from the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), and both sides have agreed to continue sharing vital maritime information. "I met the commander of RNO Rear Admiral Abdullah al Raisi and we have agreed on continuing to share information," said Karaman.