Pirate gangs still holding 30

Departing CMF commander discusses mission.

Pirate gangs still holding 30 captives in Gulf of Aden

Pirate gangs in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia are still holding 30 hostages in illegal captivity, the New Zealand navy officer who has just ended command of a multinational anti-piracy task force said Monday.

Commodore Tony Millar, who had commanded the Combined Maritime Task Force’s Counter-Piracy Task Force 151 (CTF151) since August, said the number of hostages had fallen from more than 700 “a few years ago.”

Millar said CTF151 had operated successfully under his command, with his staff of 13 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel overseeing 12 ships and three patrol and surveillance aircraft from seven different navies.

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Source: shanghaidaily.com