German cabinet approves expansion of EU anti-piracy mission

April 18, 2012

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The German government on Wednesday (April 18th) approved an extension of the European Union's anti-piracy operation off the Horn of Africa to include targeting equipment stored on the Somali coast, AFP reported.

The cabinet approved the expanded mission, which will permit warships or helicopters to fire at fuel barrels, boats, trucks or other equipment stowed away on beaches. The mission is expected to win final approval in a parliamentary vote next month.

The EU's Operation Atalanta has deployed warships off the Somali coast since 2008 to escort humanitarian aid shipments and thwart pirate raids on commercial vessels using vital shipping lanes.

EU foreign ministers last month agreed to extend the mission until December 2014 and expand "the force's area of operations to include Somali coastal territory as well as its territorial and internal waters".

The German mandate runs until May 31st, 2013.

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