Piracy off the coast of Somalia is on the rise again, with more than a dozen sailors—most of them from Pakistan—currently being held by Somali pirates. The uptick in hijackings and harassment comes as international naval forces have been diverted to the Middle East amid escalating tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran.
Shipping industry sources report a noticeable increase in attacks since early this year, as warships that once patrolled the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean have been reassigned. The pirates, emboldened by the reduced presence, have resumed operations that had been largely suppressed for nearly a decade.
The hostages are believed to be held in various coastal villages, and negotiations for their release are ongoing. Meanwhile, maritime security experts warn that if the naval redeployment continues, the region could see a return to the high levels of piracy that plagued international shipping lanes in the early 2010s.