Colombian Troops Kill Dozens of FARC Guerillas March 21, 2012
Posted by Chris Mark in terrorism, weapons and tactics.Tags: Chris Mark, Colombia, FARC, kidnapping, narco, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, security, terrorism
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According to a story on CNN, Colombian government forces have killed dozens of leftist guerrillas in the past two days. Various operations throughout Colombia killed an estimated 39 members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). FARC has been at war with the Colombian government since the 1960’s and by 2005 had kidnapped an estimated 2,500 people. In the first half of 2011 FARC had kidnapped 108 people.
While self labeled as a “leftist” guerrilla group, many organizations have labled FARC as a terrorist organization or ‘narco terrorist’ organization. (more…)
US Navy Rescues 13 Iranians from Somali Pirates January 6, 2012
Posted by Chris Mark in Industry News, Piracy & Maritime Security.Tags: Chris Mark, Iranian Sailors kidnapped, John C. Stennis, kidnapping, maritime piracy, Maritime Security, mark consulting group, USS Kidd
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In a move that illustrates the brotherhood of the sea and the disdain for piracy wherever it may be, the US rescued 13 Iranian sailors who had been kidnapped by Somali Pirates. According to MSNBC, a helicopter from the USS John C. Stennis, responding to a distress call from a merchant ship under attack, chased the pirates to their “mother ship”. The mothership was an Iranian flagged dhow that had been hijacked earlier. A counterpiracy team from the USS Kidd then boarded the mothership where they found 15 armed pirates and the 13 Iranian crewmen. The pirates were taken into custody and the Iranians were released in their dhow. Interestingly, the USS John C. Stennis is the same carrier that Iran had threatened to never allow back into the Persian Gulf. It is a good day that the Iranian sailors are headed back to their families.
Somali Pirates Suspected Kidnapping Aid Workers October 26, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Anti Piracy, Chris Mark, kidnapping, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security, somali pirates
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Somali pirates are suspected in the recent abduction of 3 aid workers who were working in Somali for a Danish aid group. The group issued a statement that said: “Today, at 3 pm (1200 GMT) in Somalia, three staff members from the Danish Demining Group have been kidnapped. One is a Somali man, two are international staff members, an American woman and a Danish man.” Earlier this month Somali gunmen kidnapped two Spanish staff working for Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) from the Dadaab refugee camp in northern Kenya on October 13 and took them across the border into the anarchic Horn of Africa nation. A Somali pirate who gave his name as Abdi told Reuters from Galkayo that a group of pirates was behind the abduction and the captives were being taken to a coastal haven.Previously, three people had been kidnapped from Kenya by Somali pirates and one killed. As more vessels employ BMP and armed guards it is clear that pirates will simply look for new avenues to replace he revenue they are losing.
Briton Killed; Wife Taken by Somali “Bandits” in Kenya September 12, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: armed security, Chris Mark, kidnapping, Piracy & Maritime Security, Ransom, Somalia
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Two Britons, a husband and wife, were on holiday in Kenya near the border with Somalia, when they were attacked by Somalis who arrived via high speed boat. According to reports the Somali men approached the cottage where the couple were staying and demanded their money. The man was shot and the woman was taken in the boats toward Somalia. Her whereabouts are currently unknown. While there are conflicting reports on whether the attackers were connected with Al Shabab, the tactics strongly suggest they are pirates who are adapting their tactics to kidnappings on land as the maritime vessels are becoming more difficult to successfully attack.
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