Arms ship: UN okays commando attack

The United Nations has authorised force to free the hijacked Ukrainian ship.

The UN Security Council resolved that states with warships and planes in the area should attack the ship “on the high seas and airspace off the coast of Somalia”.

Military experts believed the most likely option was a commando style raid to overpower the pirates on board, rather than a direct attack on the ship.

Shelling the vessel could cause a catastrophic explosion and kill the hostages as well as losing the entire cargo, they said.

The Security Council resolution was described by the UN as necessary to repress piracy, consistent with the 1982 UN Convention on the law of the Sea.

The vote to attack the pirates holding the ship that has been moored off Somalia since September 26 came as the Kenya Government through Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula backed the use of force to repossess the ship.

The Government has insisted the controversial 33 T-72 tanks, rocket propelled grenades and spare parts on the MV Faina belong to Kenya's Defence ministry although other reports maintain the cargo was destined for South Sudan.

Approval for force came as a Reuters report quoted an associate of the pirates holding the ship as saying an $8 million (Sh576m) ransom deal was in the offing, which may enable the boat to be freed within days.

“A boat will carry the money from Djibouti and pirates are expected to release the ship in the coming two nights,” a business partner of the pirates, who identified himself only as Farah, told Reuters.

“I think the Americans are aware of the deal because there is no other alternative to release the ship,” added Farah, who has given reliable information in the past about piracy.

“If the warships threatened, pirates would die in a last-ditch fight and risk the hostages.”

Tuesday’s UN resolution poses a challenge to Kenya’s ability to secure the tanks to which it has laid claim.

Restore order

The 15-country UN Security council has on more than one occasion called for the deployment of military vessels and aircraft to restore order in the lawless Gulf of Aden.

On Wednesday, Mr Wetang’ula said: “We will fight the pirates anywhere and everywhere to keep the high seas safe.”

However, the resolution only applies to pirates off Somalia, whose 1,880-mile coastline is the longest in Africa and near key shipping routes that connect the Indian Ocean with the Red Sea.

Addressing a news conference at his office, Mr Wetang’ula insisted that ransom should not be paid. “The more you pay, the more you empower them,” he said.

It is estimated that the pirates have made between $30-50 million from ransom payments over the past year.