Team America World Police Swashbuckles With Pirates

Staff / Truthdig Feb 12, 2009 A US Navy vessel boarded an alleged pirate skiff and arrested seven suspects Wednesday after a merchant ship radioed that it was under attack The USS Vella Gulf is part of a U task force launched to curb Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden The Navy says it will hand the suspects over to Kenyan authorities. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pirates Capture Yet Another Ship

Staff / Truthdig Nov 25, 2008 A Yemeni freighter has become the 39th vessel seized by Somali pirates this year. Such hijackings have become a common occurrence off the coast of Somalia. Ship owners have called on the U.N. to police the affected waters. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pirates

Cameron Cardow / Truthdig Nov 19, 2008 Dig deeper

Pirates Hijack Saudi Oil Tanker

Staff / Truthdig Nov 18, 2008 A huge Saudi-owned oil tanker, the Sirius Star, was seized by pirates on Saturday as it headed toward the U.S. with 2 million barrels of oil and 25 crew members on board. The tanker is now on its way to Somalia. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Fighting Pirates in the 21st Century

Staff / Truthdig Oct 2, 2008 Piracy has gotten so bad off the coast of Somalia that the European Union is prepared to form an anti-piracy force to police the region. The unresolved seizure of a freighter loaded with Russian tanks is the most recent in a spate of incidents involving more than 60 vessels and $30 million in ransom so far this year. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Al-Qaida’s No. 2 Blasts Iran

Staff / Truthdig Sep 9, 2008 Just before the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, al-Qaida has released a lengthy videotape featuring the group's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, providing updates about how the holy war is faring around the globe and laying into Iran for "cooperating with the Americans" and with the American-approved governments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Us vs. Them

James Harris / Truthdig May 6, 2008 Emira Woods, co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus, argues for a more humane foreign policy and explains why American airstrikes in Somalia and elsewhere are about more than terrorism. Dig deeper ( 9 Min. Read )

Top Al-Qaida Operative Killed in Somalia

Staff / Truthdig May 1, 2008 The U.S. military carried out an overnight airstrike in Somalia, targeting the country's primary al-Qaida cell -- and by Thursday morning the man considered the group's leader, Aden Hashi Ayro, was confirmed dead, along with 10 others. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Second U.S. Air Raid in Somalia

Staff / Truthdig Jan 10, 2007 The United States launched its second air assault in Somalia in as many days, according to a representative from the Somali government, who told Reuters: "As we speak now, the area is being bombarded by the American air force." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Turning the Corner in Somalia

Staff / Truthdig Jan 2, 2007 The Islamists have fled, the transitional government and its Ethiopian allies have reclaimed Mogadishu as Somalia's capital and the prime minister has banned guns and called for peacekeepers. Will the stability last, or will guerrilla warfare and clan violence tear the country apart for another 15 years? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Disappearing Act in Mogadishu

Staff / Truthdig Dec 28, 2006 Despite a vow to fight to the death, Islamist leaders and their troops have mysteriously vanished from the streets of Mogadishu, according to residents there. The Ethiopian army, in support of the powerless transitional government, had driven the Somali fighters back to their stronghold and the nation's traditional capital after a wave of devastating attacks. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Somalia at War

Staff / Truthdig Dec 23, 2006 Despite a brief flirtation with peace, the fighting that has ravaged Somalia in recent days appears likely to continue. The Union of Islamic Courts has advanced to the transitional government's last remaining base of power, Baidoa, where fighting with Ethiopian troops has led to heavy casualties. Update: After finally admitting to its role in the conflict, Ethiopia has bombed two Somalian airports. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )