EU naval commander says piracy off Somalia suppressed

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The commander of the EU anti-piracy mission off Somalia Major General Martin Smith Wednesday said the mission called EUNAVFOR-Atalanta has been a "successful operation." Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, he said In 2011 there were 736 hostages held by pirates in Somalia and 32 ships.

"There are now 26 hostages but no ships and there have been no pirate attacks in the last six months" he said.

But he warned that the threat of piracy "still very much exists. We have suppressed it. So there is still need for an operation," he added.

Smith said non-EU countries like Serbia, Montonegro and New Zealand are taking part in the mission and in future Chile, Colombia and South Korea will also join the EU operation.