NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The outgoing commander of the European Union's anti-piracy military force says the force will become more proactive in fighting piracy in an effort to seize the initiative in an evolving battle that is moving closer to land.
The EU Naval Force announced last month that it will expand its mission to include the Somali coast and waterways for the first time. Rear Adm. Jorge Manso, whose tenure as force commander ends Saturday, said the EU force's mission is evolving from a primarily defensive fight.
Manso said Tuesday that the EU force must become more flexible in its priorities and practices.
The International Maritime Bureau says Somali pirates accounted for 54 percent of pirate attacks in 2011, with 237, up from 219 in 2010.
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