Gulf of Aden

The Turkish presidency on Feb. 3 submitted a motion on the extension of Turkish forces serving in the strategic areas of Gulf of Aden, Somalia and the Arabian Sea.

The presidency submitted the motion on the extension of the deployment of Turkey's naval forces in Gulf of Aden, Somalia, the Arabian Sea, and neighboring regions, to the parliament's speaker's office.

Pirates attacked a Greek oil tanker off the coast of Togo in the early hours of Monday and fled after taking four crew members as hostages, the West African nation's navy said, two days after a similar attack in the waters of neighboring Benin. 

Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Aug. 11 expressed concern over the escalated tension in Yemen's interim capital of Aden in recent days.

Ten Turkish sailors were taken hostage by armed pirates off the coast of Nigeria early on July 16, shipping company Kadıoğlu Denizcilik said, adding that another eight sailors were safely aboard the ship.

A Turkish aid delegation was released by UAE-backed forces in Yemen's coastal city of Aden, according to a delegation member on Dec. 23.

Tensions in Yemen continue to escalate. Five people died after a suicide attack against military units trained by the United Arab Emirates. There may be more victims, reports sega. 

The attack took place on Tuesday in the government-controlled port city of Aden.

At least two people died this night in a car bomb explosion at the Yemeni Finance Ministry in Aden, Reuters reported, citing eyewitnesses and medics.

Six Britons who were among 35 crew on a US-operated anti-piracy ship serving jail terms for illegal weapons possession left an Indian prison on Nov. 28 after their court acquittal.

China officially opened its first military base abroad today in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa. The agency quoted Chinese state media as saying opening the base coincided with celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

The Chinese troops have reached their new military base in Djibouti, a mostly French- and Arabic-speaking country of dry shrublands, volcanic formations and Gulf of Aden beaches. The region is popularly known as the 'Horn of Africa'.