The United Nations Special Representative for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah called for international action Friday to combat a surge in piracy in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, DPA reported Piracy has surged this year in the Gulf of Aden, part of an important shipping route from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal. Up to 10 ships are believed to be in the hands of pirates at the moment, with four of them being seized within a 24-hour period. The United Nations Security Council in June approved incursions into Somali waters to combat the pirates, and while Ould-Abdallah welcomed this move he said that it was time for a "collaborative effort to put the resolution into effect." "We have to work quickly before the level of criminal activity increases and affects ports in neighbouring countries," he said. Malaysia on Friday said it was sending three warships to the Gulf of Aden after two of its ships were hijacked with the loss of one life. However, the ships are only going to provide security for five ships owned by Malaysian shipping line MISC Berhad.
