US: Hijacked Ship With Tanks Headed for Sudan
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 29 Sep 10:41 EDT (14:41 GMT)
DUBAI - A Ukrainian vessel seized by Somali pirates off Somalia on Sept. 25 is carrying tanks and other weapons destined for Sudan and not Kenya as announced by Nairobi, a U.S. military spokesman said Sept. 29.
"We have a report indicating that the cargo and the shipment was headed to Sudan," Lt. Nathan Christensen, spokesman for the Bahrain-based U.S. 5th Fleet, said, declining to speculate on the intended recipients.
The Kenyan defense ministry spokesman swiftly denied the report.
"The Kenyan and Ukrainian governments have all the documents to prove that this cargo belongs to the Kenyan government and not some unknown buyers in Sudan," Defence Ministry spokesman Bogita Ongeri said.
Sudan is rife with potential clients, including the Sudanese army, numerous rebel groups active in the restive Darfur province as well as former southern rebels from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).
U.S. naval forces in the region said earlier that a U.S. destroyer and other foreign navy ships had converged on the Ukrainian vessel, the MV Faina.
"San Diego-based destroyer USS Howard is on station and is in visual range of MV Faina, which is anchored off the Somalia coast near the harbour city of Hobyo," the command said. "My crew is actively monitoring the situation, keeping constant watch on the vessel and the waters in the immediate vicinity," said the Howard's commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Curtis Goodnight.
The Belize-flagged ship was headed to the Kenyan port of Mombasa when it was seized Sept. 25 with a crew of 21. Nairobi said the shipment was part of a contract with Ukraine to update some of its military hardware.
According to the Ukrainian defense ministry, the Faina is carrying 33 Soviet-type T-72 tanks, as well as other military supplies.
Somali pirates who hijacked the freighter are demanding $20 million in ransom.
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