Somali forces raided a ship stolen by pirates, but Somalia failed to win the battle and recover the ship.
Context of the story:
Why is this important? International piracy affects the safety of sailors and affects the prices of shipped goods.
Who is involved? Somalia has not had a functioning central government for at least 16 years, and piracy has been on the rise as a result. The forces that raided the ship are from Puntland, a region of northern Somalia. According to the story, the raided ship likely has a crew from Syria and Somalia.
Where is this happening? Somalia is in eastern Africa, or the “Horn of Africa.” The northern side of Somalia is on the Gulf of Aden–an important shipping route. Any ship traveling from the Mediterranean Sea to Asia, for example, must go through the Suez Canal in Egypt and eventually through the Gulf of Aden near Somalia.
What can you do?First, learn about non-violent methods to resolve conflict, and apply those methods in your life. Second, support programs that help establish fair and stable governments in foreign countries. Education programs, cultural exchanges, and rule of law initiatives may help lead to a functioning government in Somalia.
