Iran vows to target U.S. warships if security threatened

Iranian Navy ships in Velayat-90 military exercise, by Mohammad Sadegh Heydari via Wikipedia

TEHRAN, April 23 (Xinhua) — Iran will target the U.S. military vessels in the Gulf if they threaten Iran’s security, the chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said Thursday, Tasnim news agency reported.

“We are fully determined and serious in defending our national security, maritime borders, maritime interests, maritime security and security of our forces at sea and any (wrong) move will trigger our decisive, effective and prompt response,” Hossein Salami said.

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Source: china.org.cn

Donald Trump instructs Navy to ‘destroy’ Iranian gunboats harassing US ships

Taylor Heyman

The US Navy has been instructed to “shoot down and destroy” Iranian gunboats if they harass its ships, US President Donald Trump said.

Mr Trump’s order followed a US accusation last week that Iranian fast vessels were “harassing” US Navy ships in the Arabian Gulf.

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Source: thenational.ae

Alert for pirates in the Gulf of Mexico

Five intrusions have been registered in the month of April; an one more in March. Cloaked men have been boarding boats and oil platforms; in the zone of Cantarell III, of the shores of Campeche and Tabasco. Between April 8 and 16, one attack has been recorded every other day.

Armed men, wearing masks are boarding boats linked to oil production in the middle of the night. They also climb metal structure bases until they reach personnel areas on oil platforms, to strip workers from their belongings at gun point: These men are modern pirates operating in the Gulf of Mexico in the XXI Century.

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Source: theyucatantimes.com

Sabah on alert for Abu Sayyaf after deadly clashes in Mindanao

Sabah

Durie Rainer Fong

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah security forces have another threat to deal with besides Covid-19 with a potential spillover of Abu Sayyaf members into the state following deadly clashes with the Philippine army.

It is likely the Philippine army will retaliate against the group after 11 of its soldiers were killed and 14 others wounded following an hour-long battle with the terrorist cell in southern Philippines on Saturday.

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Source: freemalaysiatoday.com

Sea Piracy in 2025: Piracy 2.0?

By Francois Morizur

Pirates have demonstrated their ability to revise their modes of operation in response to maritime industry behavior and the responses of coastal states. When looking the Gulf of Guinea, confirmed as the main world maritime piracy hotspot for almost five years, it’s interesting to consider that evolution.

Before 2010, piracy in the Gulf was limited to coastal area less than 30 nautical miles from shore. As ships kept their distance from shore, the pirates improved theirs range of operation with the use of mother vessels but also, very quickly, with new capacity to operate their skiffs without mother vessels out to 100-120 nautical miles from shore. They improved their endurance, safe sailing ability and communication to connect with their targets.

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Source: maritime-executive.com

ReCAAP ISC Weekly Report 14-20 April 2020

During 14-20 Apr 20, four incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported to the ReCAAP ISC. Of the four incidents, one was a piracy incident (CAT 41) that occurred on board a VLCC while underway in the South China Sea.

The three incidents of armed robbery against ships were a CAT 32 incident that occurred on board a container ship while anchored at Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) Breakwater, Philippines, two CAT 4 incidents that occurred on board, a bulk carrier while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait and an oil tanker while anchored off Alang Anchorage, India.

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Source: recaap.org

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Pirates leave captured vessel off Benin together with seized Russians

There are no other details at present, Russia’s embassy in Benin said

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The pirates who boarded the container ship Tommi Ritscher in the Gulf of Guinea have left the vessel together with eight hostages, among whom there are three Russians, a representative of Russia’s embassy in Benin and Togo told TASS on Tuesday.

“The pirates have left the ship and the territorial waters of Benin,” the diplomat said, adding that “there are no other details at present.”

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Source: tass.com

Curfew in ESSZone extended to May 5

Sabah

KOTA KINABALU, April 21 — The curfew in waters off seven districts in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) that was ended at 6pm yesterday has been extended until May 5, said Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Zaini Jas.

He said during the curfew, which covered the waters off Tawau, Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Sandakan and Beluran, people living in the areas were required to stay indoors and were not allowed to be in the waters between 6pm and 6am.

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Source: malaymail.com

Covid-19: Indian Navy remains ‘combat ready’ despite spread of coronavirus

The Indian Navy (IN) has emphasised that it remains “combat-ready, mission-capable, and in full readiness”, after 26 of its personnel were quarantined after testing positive for Covid-19 coronavirus.

“All missions for coastal and offshore security continue as before. Operational units are being maintained in readiness by following a 14-day quarantine routine to meet immediate contingencies, including assistance to civil authorities and friendly maritime neighbours, said India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) on 18 April. “Our naval assets continue to be mission-deployed in three dimensions, with all the networks and space assets functioning optimally,” it added.

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Source: janes.com

Philippines Kills Suspected Abu Sayyaf Bomb Expert, Vows ‘Relentless’ Operations against Militants

The Philippine government vowed Monday to pursue Abu Sayyaf militants relentlessly after the military said it killed a suspected senior member of the group in the wake of a Friday clash that left 11 soldiers dead in southern Sulu province.

Presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said military operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group would continue without letup after last week’s gunfight on Sulu’s Jolo Island in which 14 other army members were wounded.

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Source: benarnews.org