The Spanish frigate Santa Maria, flagship of the European Union’s anti-piracy mission, Operation Atalanta, sails off Djibouti, about 40 nautical miles from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) License this photo
Mowjadaha buluugga ah ee Gacanka Cadmeed, waxaa si taxadar leh ugu dhex socda markab xamuul oo weyn kaasoo ku wajahan marinka istiraatiijiga ah ee Bab el-Mandeb, oo ah marin-biyood mashquul badan oo ay haatan hadheeyeen colaadaha gobolka iyo halista burcadbadeedda sii xoogeysanaysa. Meel aan sidaas uga fogeynna, ciidamada sida gaarka ah u tababaran ee dalka Spain oo saaran markab dagaal ayaa heegan sare ku jira oo hubkooda diyaarsanaya.
“Fuego!” ayuu ku qayliyay sarkaalkii hoggaaminayay tababarka, xilli afar askari oo ka tirsan cutubyada gaarka ah, xidhanna muraayadaha qorraxda, marada wejiga lagu qariyo iyo jaakadaha difaaca rasaasta, ay si isdaba joog ah rasaas uga dhex dhicinayeen bistoolado iyo qoryaha darandoorriga u dhaca bartilmaameedyo lagu calaamadeeyay xubnaha ugu halista badan ee jirka bini’aadamka.
Inkasta oo tani ay ahayd oo keliya dhoolatus ciidan, haddana khatarta laga qabo burcadbadeedda waa mid dhab ah oo taagan. Markabkan dheereeya ayaa horkacaya howlgalka ilaalinta amniga badda ee Midowga Yurub ee Gacanka Cadmeed iyo badweynta Soomaaliya. Ciidamadani waxay kor u qaadayaan xirfadahooda dagaalka si ay heegan ugu noqdaan haddii lagu amro inay xoog kula wareegaan maraakiibta ay gacanta ku dhigaan kooxaha burcadbadeedda.
Falalka burcadbadeednimada ayaa mar kale dib uga soo labakacleeyay inta u dhaxaysa Badda Cas iyo galbeedka Badweynta Hindiya, xilli colaadaha ka taagan Yemen, Geeska Afrika iyo Iran ay qalqal geliyeen deganaanshiyihii bulshooyinka ku xeeran marinnada maraakiibta ee muhiimka u ah dhaqaalaha dunida. Taliyayaasha ciidamada badda ayaa tilmaamaya in xidhiidh dadban uu ka dhexeeyo dagaallada socda iyo dib-u-soo-nooleenta burcadbadeedda.
“Degganaansho la’aantu waxay dhashaa degganaansho la’aan kale. Xasilooni-darraduna waxay dhiirrigelisaa falal sharci-darro ah. Falalka sharci-darrada ahina waxay sababaan in beeluhu u jeestaan xagga badda,” ayuu yidhi Vice Adm. Ignacio Villanueva, oo ah taliyaha howlgalka Midowga Yurub ee Operation Atalanta, mar uu la hadlay The Associated Press.
Howlgalka Atalanta, oo ah cudud badeed ballaadhan oo la dhisay sanadkii 2008-dii si loola dagaallamo burcadbadeedda, ayaa ilaalo ka haya galbeedka Badweynta Hindiya iyo Gacanka Cadmeed, ee cirifka koonfureed ee Jasiiradda Carabta. Qiyaastii 80 kiilomitir (50 mayl) dhanka woqooyi waxaa ku yaalla Bab el-Mandeb, oo ah marinka ugu muhiimsan ee dhaqaalaha adduunka, halkaasoo xilliyada xasiloonida ay maraan ku dhawaad 12% ganacsiga guud ee caalamka, oo ay ku jirto rubuc ka mid ah dhammaan gaadiidka kunteennarada qaada ee isaga goosha qaaradaha Aasiya iyo Yurub.
Spanish Lt. j.g. Francisco de Asis Aznar, officer of the watch, looks through binoculars on the bridge of the frigate Santa Maria during a European Union anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Tadjoura off Djibouti, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) License this photo
Marinka Bab el-Mandeb oo ballaciisu ka yar yahay 30 kiilomitir, ayaa noqday fagaare ay si ba’an ugu loolamayaan ciidamada dowladda Yemen oo ay taageerto Sacuudiga iyo kooxda Xuutiyiinta ee taageerada ka hela Iran. Maadaama isu-socodka Marinka Hormuz uu la kulmay carqalad ballaadhan, Bab el-Mandeb wuxuu noqday waddo kale oo muhiim ah oo loo maro dhoofinta shidaalka ka yimaada Gacanka Faarsiga, taasoo sii kordhisay muhiimadda marin-biyoodkan istiraatiijiga ah.
A Spanish frigate patrols for pirates
Wakaaladda wararka ee AP ayaa loo oggolaaday fursad gaar ah oo ay ku booqato markabka dagaalka ee Spain kaasoo hoggaaminaya howlgalka Atalanta ee Midowga Yurub ee gobolka.
In ka badan 200 oo badmaaxiin rag iyo dumar isugu jira ayaa ku sugan markabka ESPS Santa María, oo ah markab dagaal oo jira 40 sano, culeyskiisuna gaadhayo 4,000 oo tan, isla markaana ku qalabaysan qoryaha darandoorriga u dhaca ee culus, madaafiic, gantaalaha quusa iyo gantaallo kale oo casri ah. Diyaarad nooca helicopter-ka ah iyo diyaaradaha aan duuliyaha lahayn ayaa si joogto ah uga kaca dhabarka dambe ee markabka si ay sahmin xagga cirka ah u sameeyaan, uguna dhiirran waayaan kooxaha doonaya inay falal burcadnimo geystaan.
Weerarrada lagu bartilmaameedsanayo maraakiibta xamuulka ee maraya bariga Afrika waxay khatar ku yihiin hab-nololeedka dalalka reer Galbeedka, sida uu sheegay Cmdr. Fernando María Zumalacárregui Alario, oo ah taliyaha markabka Santa María.
“Haddii uu halis galo, haddii la handado, ma heli doontaan waxyaabaha aad nolosha u baahan tihiin. Qiimaha maciishadda ayaa cirka isku shareeri doona, nolosheennuna waxay noqon doontaa mid aad uga sii darta,” ayuu ku yidhi AP isaga oo ku sugan qeybta sare ee markabka laga hago.
Tan iyo markii ay kooxda Xuutiyiintu bilaabeen beegsiga maraakiibta maraysa Bab el-Mandeb bishii November 2023 ayaga oo ka duulaya dagaalka Israa’iil ee Qaza, waxaa guud ahaan gobolka ka dhacay 79 weerar oo burcadbadeednimo ah, kuwaasoo ku dhowaad 30 ka mid ahi ay dhaceen ka dib markii uu qarxay dagaalka Iran bishii February, sida uu caddeeyay Commodore José Rodrigues Pedra oo u dhashay Portugal, ahna taliyaha howlgalka badda ee Atalanta.
“Uma jeedo in xidhiidh toos ah uu ka dhexeeyo dhibaatadan taagan, laakiin waxa aan xaqiijin karo ayaa ah in colaaduhu ay dhaliyaan qalalaaso kale,” ayuu yidhi taliyuhu isaga oo ku sugan qolkiisa gaarka ah ee markabka Santa María dushiisa.
Howlgalka Atalanta waxa kale oo uu saldhig ciidan oo Faransiisku ku leeyahay Djibouti ka howlgeliyaa diyaarad sahmin oo roondooyin cirka ah sameysa, iyadoo adeegsanaysa raadaarro, kaamirooyin casri ah oo gudaha ku rakiban, iyo sawir-qaadayaal ka tirsan ciidanka badda oo sita muraayadaha wax ka fogaada qabta.
Xogta sirdoon ee la helo ayaa lala wadaagaa cutubyada milatari ee xulafada la ah howlgalka oo ka socda waddamada Yurub, United States, South Korea, Japan, India, iyo quwadaha kale ee gobolka.
Atalanta waa mid ka mid ah laba ciidan badeed oo Midowga Yurub ku leeyahay aaggan. Ciidanka kale, oo loo yaqaanno Operation Aspides, ayaa si gaar ah xoogga u saara amniga Badda Cas waxaana u jooga maraakiib intaas ka badan.
Pirates are exploiting turmoil in the region
Ka dib sannado badan oo ay hoos u dhaceen weerarradu, burcadbadeedda Soomaaliya ayaa markale dib u soo noolaanaysa, waxaana arrintan horseeday dhibaatooyinka dhaqaale, nafaqo-xumada baahsan, is-mari-waaga siyaasadeed, iyo colaadaha gudaha, sida ay khubaradu tibaaxayaan. Qiyaastii 30% dadweynaha ayaa la daalaa-dhacaya heerar khatar ah oo cunto yaraan ah, sida ay Qaramada Midoobay xaqiijisay bishii February, xilli ay jiraan go’aanno lagu dhimay gargaarkii caalamiga ahaa.
Burcadbadeed fadhigoodu yahay maamulka Puntland ayaa afduubtay maraakiib shidaal, waxaana sidoo kale gacanta lagu dhigay markab laga leeyahay dalka Turkiga oo hub u siday dowladda Soomaaliya. Dhanka xeebaha dalka Yemen, burcadbadeeddu waxay geysteen weerarro ay maraakiibta ku beegsadeen ka hor inta aysan u kaxaysan dhanka Soomaaliya, taasoo muujinaysa xeelad cusub oo looga faa’iideysanayo qalalaasaha ka taagan koonfurta Jasiiradda Carabta.
Wakaaladda wararka ee AP ayaa xaqiijisay dib-u-soo-nooshahan, iyadoo lix markab oo ganacsi la afduubtay intii u dhexeysay bilihii April iyo August ee sanadkan.
Shan ka mid ah maraakiibtaas ayaa markii dambe la soo furtay, hase yeeshee markabka MT Asana oo sita calanka Tanzania laguna qabsaday bishii July, ayaa weli ku jiray gacanta kooxaha burcadbadeedda ee ku sugan biyaha Soomaaliya marka loo eego warbixintii ugu dambeysay ee Operation Atalanta soo saartay Oct. 16. Hay’adda Caalamiga ah ee Badaha ee International Maritime Organization ayaa bilowgii bishaas caddeysay in 22 badmaax ay weli la-hayste ahaan ugu jiraan markabkaas dushiisa.
Xitaa marka maraakiibta xoog lagula soo wareego, badmaaxiinta la haysto waxay galaan halis nafeed. Shan qof oo shaqaalaha markabka ka tirsanaa ayaa geeriyooday howlgalkii bishii September lagu soo furanayay markabka shidaalka qaada ee Honour 25, kaasoo afduubnaa tan iyo bishii April. Hay’adda IMO waxay sheegtay in 44 badmaax laga soo samatabbixiyay markabkaas iyo laba kale oo shidaal, kuwaasoo lagu kala magacaabo Eureka iyo Sibu 1, oo sidoo kale loo yaqaanno Seamull.
Weerarro badan ayaa lagu bartilmaameedsaday doonyaha kalluumeysiga, kuwaasoo kooxuhu u adeegsadaan saldhigyo badda ku dhex sabeynaya oo laga soo qaado weerarrada lagu qaadayo maraakiibta xamuulka. Ciidamada dalka India ayaa bilowgii bishii November soo badbaadiyay doon kalluumeysi oo laga leeyahay dalka Iran kadib howlgal socday in ka badan 48 saacadood, sida ay xaqiijisay Wasaaradda Difaaca ee India.
Burcadbadeednimada aaggan ayaa heerkii ugu sarreeyay gaadhay 15 sano ka hor, xilligaas oo kooxo hubeysan oo Soomaali ah ay kaxaysan jireen maraakiibta isla markaana ku dooni jireen malaayiin doollar oo madax-furasho ah. Tallaabooyinkii caalamiga ahaa ee ka dhanka ahaa burcadbadeedda ayaa si guul leh u shaqeeyay illaa sanadkii 2023, balse “mar kasta waxaa taagnaa sababihii ay burcadbadeeddu mar kale dib ugu soo labakacleyn karto,” ayuu yidhi Jakob Larsen, oo ah madaxa amniga iyo badbaadada ee ururka weyn ee mulkiilayaasha maraakiibta ee BIMCO.
Sababaha qeybta ka ah arrintan waxaa ka mid noqon kara qiimaha shidaalka, oo sare u kacay dagaalka Iran awgeed, taasoo dad badan ku qasbeysa inay baadigoobaan ilo kale oo dhaqaale. “Burcadbadeednimaduna waa mid ka mid ah dariiqyadaas,” ayuu hadalkiisa raaciyay Larsen.
A container ship sails past bullet-riddled targets used by Spanish special operations forces for training aboard the frigate Santa Maria during a European Union anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden off Djibouti, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) License this photo
Iyadoo Iran iyo Xuutiyiintu ay awood xooggan ku leeyihiin Marinka Hormuz iyo Bab el-Mandeb, burcadbadeednimadu waxay dani ugu jirtaa labadaba, sida uu qabo Christopher Hockey, oo ah cilmi-baare ka tirsan machadka Royal United Services Institute.
“Waxay dani ugu jirtaa Xuutiyiinta, waxayna sidoo kale dani ugu jirtaa reer Iran in carqalad dheeraad ah lagu furo socodka gaadiidka badda iyadoo loo marayo burcadbadeedda,” ayuu yidhi Hockey. Waxa uu ka digay in marinnada maraakiibta ee gobolka laga yaabo dhowaan in loo kala saaro maraakiib xamuul oo wata ciidamo ilaalo ah oo kharash badan ku baxa iyo kuwa aan waxba wadan oo halis u ah in badda lagu qafaasho.
“Ma jiro markab weli la afduubtay oo ay saarnaayeen ciidan ilaalo oo hubeysan,” ayuu yidhi Hockey. “Maraakiibta isku dayaya inay lacagta badbaadsadaan — ama ku jira howlo shaki ku jiro — iyaga ayaa noqon doona kuwa joogtada loo beegsado.”
Hockey iyo falanqeeyayaasha kale ee la hadlay AP waxay sheegayaan in howlgalka Midowga Yurub uu qeyb weyn ka qaato carqaladeynta burcadbadeedda, balse cabbirka guusha la gaadhay ay tahay mid adag: saraakiisha ayaa tilmaamaya in kooxaha qorsheynaya weerarradu ay dib u gurtaan isla marka ay arkaan diyaarad drone ah, mid helicopter ah ama markab dagaal.
Shirkadaha maraakiibta ayaa durba bilaabay inay beddelaan marin-biyoodyadooda, korna u qaadaan ammaanka iyagoo wajahaya kharashyo culus oo ku baxaya caymiska, sida uu xaqiijiyay Mahmoud Shehrah, oo ah dibloomaasi hore oo u dhashay Yemen kana tirsan machadka Chatham House. Marka laga yimaado burcadbadeedda, waxa uu sheegay in kooxda Xuutiyiintu ay “si weyn u ballaadhiyeen saameyntooda xagga saadka ee dhammaan Geeska Afrika.”
Xuutiyiinta ayaa xidhiidh la sameeyay qaar ka mid ah shirkadaha ganacsiga iyagoo u soo bandhigaya adeegyo amniga ah, sida uu shaaciyay Mohammed al-Basha, oo ah aasaasaha shirkadda la-talinta arrimaha khataraha ee Basha Report.
“Waxay leeyihiin, ‘Haddii Marinka Suez uu sannadkii helo lix bilyan oo doollar, innaguna waxaan heysanaa marin dabiici ah oo Eebbe ina siiyay, waana Bab el-Mandeb. Haddaba sidee baan lacag uga dhex samayn karnaa?’”
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Associated Press writer Omar Farouk in Muqdisho, Soomaaliya, contributed to this report.
