Somalia (land & sea) 2018 onwards

[davidbfpo]

From the BBC after a week with the Spanish Navy off Somalia and the graph is the best illustration.

Somewhat odd to read about the local efforts, presumably externally funded:

the Puntland Maritime Police Force, around 800 men strong, and the largest such unit in the country. But its abilities are limited....the force only had two small boats, hardly enough to adequately patrol the vast sea and apprehend suspects.

Link:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46454055

[AdamG]

Good multi-article-cited background piece -

At a time when local fishermen in Somalia are struggling to compete with foreign vessels that are depleting fishing stocks, the government has granted 31 fishing licenses to China. Since assuming power last year, this is the first time that Somali president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has given fishing rights to foreigners, news site BBC reports.

https://face2faceafrica.com/article/...ights-to-china

[davidbfpo]

This paper was produced by the Hiraal Institute, which is based in Somalia and has had recommendations by a "lurker". I noted these two sentences:

At its height in 2010, the Jabahaat numbered more than 8000 men....The total number of the Jabahaat fighters is therefore at least 5000 men. Their decline is both a reflection of the pressures the group has come against and also its reconfiguration away from a conventional posture to a guerrilla strategy from 2011.

Link:https://hiraalinstitute.org/al-shaba...itary-machine/

[davidbfpo]

Mark Bowden has returned to Somalia and has this commentary. The sub-title gives a hint:

Twenty-five years after the battle chronicled in the best-selling book, the author argues that we’ve learned the wrong lessons about fighting terrorism

Link:https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...WtWd1WWQI8Y.99