Yemen coastguard see uptick in seizures of arms smuggled to Houthis

Hind Al Soulia – Riyadh – Yemen’s coastguard recently found sacks of AK-47 ammunition hidden on a trading vessel shortly followed on another operation by discovering 40 kilos of cocaine. All the shipments were headed to rebel-controlled areas of the war-torn country and come as a result of efforts to control violations of a UN arms embargo.

Col Abduljabar Zahzooh, who leads Yemen’s coastguard in the Red Sea, told The National the raid last Thursday that uncovered the hidden ammunition was the fourth time they’ve uncovered such illicit cargo in just the last few months.

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Source: alkhaleejtoday.co

The curfew in ESSZone has been extended until August 3rd

KOTA KINABALU: The curfew order in the waters of seven districts in the East Sabah Safe Zone (ESSZone) which ended at 6pm tomorrow has been extended for two weeks until August 3, said Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Zaini Jass.

He said following the extension, residents were asked to be indoors and were not allowed to enter the waters between 6pm and 6am during the period.

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Source: bharian.com.my

MarsecNews: I should know better than to use a Western source on a Malaysian story. I’ve archived yesterday’s article which stated that Malaysia had ‘ended’ the Sabah curfew entirely. It clearly has not.

Yemen seizes boat loaded with weapons in Red Sea

Saeed Al-Batati

AL-MUKALLA: Yemen coastguards in the Red Sea have seized a boat loaded with three tons of ammunition, as the country intensifies sea patrols to intercept Iranian weapon shipments to the Houthis.

A local security official said a coast guard vessel on Thursday stopped a boat sailing inside Yemeni waters near Perim Island.

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Source: arabnews.com

IMB issues Abu Sayyaf kidnap threat alert

Ref: IMB/PRC/Alert – 106-2020

150600 UTC JUL 2020

TO: ALL SHIPS TRANSITING IN AND OFF EASTERN SABAH / CELEBES SEA / SULU SEA / TAWI TAWI

WARNING WARNING WARNING

THIS WARNING IS AN ACTIVE WARNING BROADCAST TRANSMITTED SINCE 011000 UTC JUL 2020. BROADCAST WILL CONTINUE ON ALTERNATE DAYS.
AFTER RE-EVALUATION ON 13.07.2020, THIS WARNING IS STILL VALID FOR ANOTHER 5 DAYS. SOME OF THE ASG MEMBERS CANNOT BE TRACK AND MAY STILL BE AT SEA.

ASG PLAN KIDNAPPING – ORIGINAL FIRST BROADCAST WARNING BELOW DATED 011000 UTC JUL 2020.

THE IMB PRC HAS RECEIVED INFORMATION ON 01 JULY 2020 FROM PHILIPPINES INTEL THAT EIGHT ASG/KFRG WERE SPOTTED IN SITANGKAI, TAWI TAWI ONBOARD A WHITE WITH YELLOW AND ORANGE STRIPES SPEEDBOAT POWERED BY 250HP YAMAHA ENGINE. IT WAS REPORTED THAT FOOD AND WATER WERE PURCHASED BY THEM EARLIER.
THE GROUP IS PLANNING TO CONDUCT KIDNAPPING ACTIVITIES IN/OFF SABAH/ SEMPORNA TARGETING FOREIGNERS/SEAFARERS.

VESSELS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN VIGILANT AND MAINTAIN STRICT ANTI-PIRACY WATCH AND MEASURES.
EARLY ASSESSMENT / DETECTION WILL ALLOW SHIPS TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTIONS AND PREVENT BOARDING AND REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE. CITADEL/SAFE ROOM IS IMPORTANT IN CERTAIN AREAS.

THIS WARNING WILL BE RE-EVALUATED AGAIN ON 17 JULY 2020.

ECSA: Extension of EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta vital for maritime security

In a letter to the EU High Representative Josep Borrell Fontelles, ECSA underlined the need for an extension to the current mandate and the continued European leadership in maintaining maritime security through EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta.

“The EU has shown strong leadership in enhancing the security of ships transiting the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin – through which 20% of global trade passes – by the establishment of Operation Atalanta in 2008,” wrote Martin Dorsman, ECSA Secretary General. “From the heights of piracy in the region in 2010, the Operation and associated measures have proven to be effective deterrents – achieving several years of strong curtailment.”

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Source: hellenicshippingnews.com

Fifty-one Incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia reported to ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre from January to June 2020

Number of incidents is almost double compared to the same period in 2019

ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) today released its Half-Yearly Report 2020 (January to June). Highlights of the Report, whose information is verified by the respective government agencies, also known as ReCAAP Focal Points, and regional authorities, are appended:

Overall Situation
• A total of 51 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships (comprising 50 actual incidents and one attempted incident) were reported in Asia during January-June 2020

• This represents close to a two-fold increase in the total number of incidents and a two-fold increase in the number of actual incidents reported in Asia, compared to 28 incidents (comprising 25 actual incidents and three attempted incidents) during January-June 2019.

• Of the 51 incidents, 49 were incidents of armed robbery against ships and two were piracy incidents

• On the other hand, the severity level of incidents has not worsened during January-June 2020 compared to January-June 2019: o 1 incident of Category 1 (same as in 2019) o Decrease of Category 2 (from 2 to 1 which is the lowest among the past 14-year period of 2007-2020) o 74% of incidents were Category 4 (perpetrators not armed, crew not harmed)

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Via: recaap.org

Maritime security can help resolve the Mozambique insurgency

by Timothy Walker

Over recent months the bloody insurgency in the northern Mozambique province of Cabo Delgado has taken an unprecedented maritime turn. If it worsens, it could have profound socio-economic and security implications for Southern Africa.

The Islamic State-inspired Ahlu-Sunnah Wal Jama’at (Al-Sunnah) has been attacking Cabo Delgado inhabitants since 2017, killing over 1,000 people to date. Al-Sunnah has launched frequent attacks on coastal villages, and used coordinated landward and amphibious attacks when it recaptured the coastal town of Mocímboa da Praia in June. This showed the insurgents that attacking from the sea was a viable option, as the risk of being intercepted by Mozambique’s maritime security actors is low.

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Source: issafrica.org

PH, Japan Coast Guard units conduct anti-piracy exercise

By Betheena Kae Unite

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and its Japanese counterparts recently conducted a simulation exercise between Jolo Island and Tawi-Tawi to enhance the country’s response against piracy attacks and armed robbery on ships.

PCG, Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia-Information Sharing Center (ReCAAP-ISC) conducted the communications and surveillance exercise simulating a vessel under piracy attack last Saturday.

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Source: mb.com.ph

Iran denies US seizure of Iranian arms on way to Houthis in Yemen

Iran on Thursday denied that US forces had seized a boat carrying Iranian weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen, saying the charge was aimed at extending a UN arms embargo on Tehran.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in Washington on Wednesday that US and unidentified allied forces had interdicted a vessel off Yemen’s coast on June 28 that was carrying Iranian arms to the Houthis.

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Source: jpost.com

Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says explosive-laden boats destroyed

File image of suspected Houthi SVBIED (boat bomb), via http://crfimmadagascar.org

Coalition says two boats belonged to the Houthis and were threatening navigation, according to Saudi’s SPA news agency.

The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen has destroyed two explosive-laden boats in the Red Sea on Thursday, the coalition’s spokesperson said.

The two remotely controlled boats belonged to Houthi forces and were threatening navigation, according to the spokesperson’s statement carried on Saudi state news agency SPA.

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Source: aljazeera.com