The Seychelles archipelago said Thursday it was to deploy troops to some of its outer islands to deter Somali pirates that have been hunting their prey ever closer to the tiny Indian Ocean state.
President James Michel “approved the immediate deployment of the Seychelles Peoples Defence Forces (SPDF) to the islands†north and south of the main island of Mahe, a statement from the president's office said.
“The SPDF will act as a deterrent force to any approaching pirate vessels, and our forces will compliment the coordinated response of the Seychelles and international naval forces in the region,†said Joel Morgan, the Seychelles’ minister for environment, natural resources and transport and head of the high-level committee on piracy.
The world’s naval powers last year started deploying warships in the Gulf of Aden in an attempt to curb attacks by ransom-hunting pirates that were seen as a threat to one of the ‘most crucial maritime trade routes.
Pirate groups have since shifted their focus to the wider Indian Ocean, a huge area much more difficult to patrol and started venturing as far as the Seychelles and beyond.
The small nation, which is highly reliant on tourism and the tuna-fishing industry, has expressed fears that unchecked expansion of Somali piracy in its waters could deal a fatal blow to its economy.
With 115 islands scattered inside an exclusive economic zone spanning 1.4 million square kilometres and a population of only 85,000, the Seychelles has requested foreign assistance to stave off the pirates.
On Thursday, a Panamanian-flagged Indian cargo with a crew of 26 was hijacked by Somali pirates near the Seychelles.
