Poachers avoid PH waters over kidnap fears – Coast Guard

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Kidnapping in the high seas, usually done by the bandit group Abu Sayyaf, has been scaring away poachers of rare and endangered species of turtles from Tawi-Tawi, an officer of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

Lt. Makaradat Uddin, PCG district commander in Tawi-Tawi, said poachers from Malaysia, Indonesia and other Asian countries had been veering away from the Tawi-Tawi islands, including the Turtle Islands, the natural nesting ground for green sea turtles.

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Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

ASG gunman killed in Sulu fighting

BY AL JACINTO

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Government troops clashed with pro-Islamic State (IS) militant groups in Sulu, which killed an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) fighter and wounded two police officers in separated encounters on Tuesday.

Officials said the fighting simultaneously erupted on Simisa Island off Banguingi town and in Patikul town.

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Source: manilatimes.net

Adding depth to maritime defense

There was a time when a country’s maritime strategy consisted of its navy or coast guard protecting its waters, defending citizens from enemies and pirates, and going after people fishing illegally.

That’s a shallow view of maritime security in the 21st century. Groups such as the United Nations and the African Union say that a modern-day maritime strategy must protect assets, ensure sustainable economic growth, guard the environment, manage energy use, and build the ability to work with neighboring countries and regions.

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Source: defenceweb.co.za

Nigerian Navy detains ship for ‘suspicious movement’

By Godspower Edoza

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder on Tuesday said its operatives arrested a motor tanker, MT Arowolo, over the vessel’s alleged ‘suspicious movement’ around Onne Anchorage in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The navy said the anchorage was known in security circles as a notorious zone for illegal activities by oil thieves.

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Source: shipsandports.com.ng

8 Sayyaf bandits yield amid military offensives in Sulu

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Eight Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits have surrendered to military authorities over the weekend as tactical offensives continue against the group in the province of Sulu, military officials said.

Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo Jr., Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said one of the eight surrendered around 2 p.m. Saturday to the Army’s 1101st Infantry Brigade. Pabayo said the ASG surrenderer, Misal Abdulwahid, 33, turned over an M-16 Armalite rifle to Col. Antonio Nafarete, 1101st Infantry Brigade commander.

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Source: pna.gov.ph

‘Piracy’ kidnappings probed for criminal links

Julien Neaves

MINISTER OF National Security Stuart Young says recent incidents of reported on-sea piracy and kidnappings of locals were being investigated for possible criminal links.

He was responding to a question in the House of Representatives on Friday. He was asked whether the Coast Guard has sufficient resources to treat with increased incidents of piracy in TT’s territorial waters.

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Source: newsday.co.tt

Crew Kidnap – Cameroon (March 30th)

MV attacked at 2140 UTC in position 03:53N – 009:30E, around 15nm Southwest of Douala, Cameroon. Vessel reported safe. Reported (MDAT) 30 Mar. Via OCEANUSLive.org

Additional sources report that the incident also saw four crew (three Ukranian and one Filipino) kidnapped by the pirates from the Liberia-flagged containership.

The United Kingdom lowers the European flag on Northwood

Maritime Security News note: This article has been automatically translated into English by Google. As such, errors may remain.

(B2) The European Union flag will be lowered at Northwood HQ. The United Kingdom loses control of the EU’s anti-piracy operation, which it has been commanding since the beginning, a good decade ago in December 2008. At issue: Brexit.

It will be effective March 29, 2019. And there, there is no postponement. Everything has already been decided and endorsed for several months already. The command returning to the Spaniards, with the French in support. Which is just a return of things. Since without Paris and Madrid, this operation would never have seen the day (Read: France and Spain decided to act on maritime piracy).

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Source: bruxelles2.eu

PCG deploys Boracay class patrol vessel in Zamboanga

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has assigned one of its Boracay-class patrol vessel to the the Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao (CGDSWM) to boost the anti-smuggling campaign in this part of the country.

The vessel, BRP-Malamawi, will be jointly operated by the PCG and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to address the problems on smuggling, as well as piracy, drug trafficking and other illegal activities in the Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (ZamBaSulTa) areas.

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Source: ptvnews.ph

EU to stop Mediterranean migrant rescue boat patrols

Air patrols will continue after decision, which was driven by threat from Italy to veto entire rescue operation

Jennifer Rankin in Brussels

The European Union is to stop the sea patrols that have rescued thousands of refugees and migrants from the central Mediterranean, after Italy’s populist government threatened to veto the entire operation.

Operation Sophia, which has two vessels and five planes and helicopters, was set up in 2015 to prevent loss of life at sea in a year when 3,771 people died or went missing attempting to reach Europe in rickety boats.

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Source: theguardian.com