Oil Tanker Hijacking Stokes Fear of Links Between Houthi Rebels and Somali Pirates
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- An oil tanker, the Togo-flagged Eureka, was hijacked off the coast of Yemen and diverted toward Somali waters, marking the latest in a series of ship abductions near the Horn of Africa.
- Somali pirates are believed to have carried out the attack, with suspicions that some Yemenis may also be involved, potentially linking to armed groups such as the Houthi militia.
- Since April, at least three vessels have been hijacked by Somali pirates, prompting the UK Maritime Trade Operations center to raise the threat level around Somalia’s coast to “substantial.”
- Yemeni and Somali authorities are monitoring efforts to recover the tanker and investigating possible collaboration between Somali pirates and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, amid concerns of a resurgence in piracy linked to regional conflicts.
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