Somali Pirates Make a Comeback Amid Middle East Turmoil

According to a report by Reference News on May 23, the French newspaper Le Monde reported on May 19 that the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked, causing maritime traffic around the Arabian Peninsula to fall into chaos. One of the side effects of this situation is that pirate activity is resurging near the coast of Somalia, in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. Since January 1, the EU's "Atalanta" operation, responsible for maritime security in the region, has recorded 14 attacks, eight of which occurred after mid-April.

The scale of the hijackings is far from the peak period between 2008 and 2012, when over 600 attacks occurred, bringing in $400 million in revenue for pirate gangs. However, British maritime security agencies have raised the threat level to "severe" and advised passing vessels to "navigate cautiously and report any suspicious activity" in Somali waters.

Currently, two large vessels have fallen into the hands of pirates. On April 21, a tanker flying the flag of the Pacific island nation of Palau, carrying 18,500 barrels of oil, was hijacked by armed men, and the 17 crew members on board were taken hostage. A few days later, on April 26, a cargo ship was attacked; this bulk carrier, flying the flag of the Caribbean island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was transporting cement from the Suez Canal in Egypt to the port of Mombasa in Kenya.

Since 2024, the security risks in the Gulf of Aden have led to a restructuring of shipping routes, providing opportunities for criminal groups based in Somalia. Shipowners are increasingly avoiding the Red Sea, opting to navigate around the southern tip of Africa, often sailing through Somali waters.

In addition, Western countries have prioritized naval deployments near the Strait of Mandeb, close to Iran. As a result, Somali pirates have noticed that while maritime traffic on the Indian Ocean side has increased, military surveillance has actually weakened. This has created an opportunity for them to take advantage.

The resurgence of attacks is also related to the cessation of smuggling activities due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Risk intelligence analyst Luis Borel explained: "Pirate activities are diverse and not full-time pirates around the clock. They must compensate for the decline in income from arms or khat (a shrub leaf considered a drug) trafficking, which is likely to have been disrupted by naval deployments and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz."

The revival of Somali pirate activity is ultimately related to several deep-seated trends in the country. A researcher at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Abdisamad Ahmed, pointed out: "This is primarily a product of extreme poverty. Additionally, illegal fishing by foreign vessels in Somali waters has exacerbated the frustration of local communities." (Translated by Zhao Kexin)