BRUSSELS - NATO decided April 24 to extend its anti-piracy work off the coast of Somalia given the increase in attacks on merchant ships in the Gulf of Aden.
"NATO has decided to continue the counter piracy activities off Somalia in the Gulf of Aden," said a spokesman for the transatlantic alliance at its Brussels headquarters.
Four vessels from NATO's Standing Naval Maritime Group One have been conducting anti-piracy work and escorting merchant ships, including some carrying food aid for Somalia, since last month.
The naval ships were due to make courtesy port visits to Karachi in Pakistan, Singapore and Perth in Western Australia, but the last two visits have been cancelled, the spokeswoman said.
They now will break off to visit Karachi on Monday and Tuesday but return to continue their counter piracy work until June 6.
"With the great increase in pirate attacks and the ensuing international attention, NATO's recent contribution to counter-piracy has been significant," the spokeswoman said.
Pirates attacked over 130 merchant ships in the Gulf of Aden last year - more than double last year's total, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
Attacks increased tenfold in the first three months of 2009 compared to the same period last year.
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