Chinese Commandos Train To Kill Pirates

The Chinese South Sea Fleet recently conducted an anti-terrorism drill in which commandos flew to a merchant ship and then assaulted it by rappelling down from the helicopter and "cleared" the vessel of pirates and "rescued" the crew.

Earlier this month, a Chinese cargo ship, the "Delight", and its 25 man crew, was taken by Somali pirates. About the same time, a Chinese fishing boat, with a crew of 24, was also taken by Somali pirates off the coast of Kenya. China has said it will contribute forces to help deal with the Somali pirates.

For background see China Special Operations Forces

Russia May Revive Yemeni Naval Base

After sending naval combat squadrons to Syria and Venezuela, Russia is now moving to revive its Cold War, Soviet-era naval presence in Yemen.

Sergei Mironov, speaker of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian Parliament, said Yemen and its main port of Aden could become a center for the Russian navy to fulfill "strategic goals" in the coming years.

Mironov made his comments during a visit to the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, last Thursday.

In reporting his remarks, RIA Novosti noted they were made in the context of the growing piracy threat off the horn of Africa and in the southern Red Sea. It said "authorities in Yemen already have been calling on Moscow to help fight piracy and possible terrorist threats."

"It's possible that the aspects of using Yemen ports not only for visits by Russian warships, but also for more strategic goals will be considered," Mironov told reporters.

Mironov also suggested Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh might pay a state visit to Russia soon, and the possibility of renewed military technical cooperation between the two countries could then be discussed.

Pirates based in chaotic Somalia on the other side of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden from Yemen last month extended their activities closer to the Yemeni coast when they captured a Panamanian oil tanker.

Mironov stated that Yemeni authorities had expressed concern that terrorist forces linked to the al-Qaida organization could be operating in Somalia and off its coast and that they might seek to carry out attacks in the Arabian Sea, which carries much of the world's oil export sea traffic from the Persian Gulf.

HOO-AH: RANGERS HONOR FALLEN BROTHERS

RANGERS HONOR

FALLEN BROTHERS
OF OPERATION
GOTHIC SERPENT

Rangers of the Regimental Special Troops Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment conducted a 5K unit moral run Oct. 3 to commemorate the six Rangers who were killed during Operation Gothic Serpent in Mogadishu, Somalia Oct. 3-4, 1993.
The 72 Rangers from Regimental Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Ranger Battalion, and the Regimental Headquarters, which were formed into nine seven-man squads and one nine-man squad, ran in combat gear, simulating the Mogadishu Mile that was run by American Rangers and Delta Force Soldiers from a helicopter crash site to the Pakistani Stadium during the Battle of Mogadishu Oct. 4, 1993.
During the 1993 Mogadishu mile, the Soldiers were originally supposed to take cover by running alongside a convoy of Humvees and armored personnel carriers, however when the convoy outpaced them they were forced to run without support and with very little ammunition. No one was wounded on the 48 minute run, however the convoy and the Soldiers on foot were attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.

Former 3rd Battalion commander, retired Col. Danny McKnight, was the guest speaker at the end of the run.

McKnight and his wife Linda began a pilgrimage last month to visit with the families of the six Rangers that were killed 15 years ago.

“I cannot tell you how much it means to me to be here on this day with the Rangers,” said McKnight addressing the Rangers. “You all are the finest Soldiers in the Army.”

While McKnight is at Fort Benning, he will visit the grave site of Cpl. James Cavaco who was killed on the lost convoy.

There were times after we returned from Somalia that the MPs would drive by the Fort Benning Cemetery and see Rangers sitting at Jimmy’s grave-site, said McKnight.

“They were just talking to their brother,” said McKnight.

Rangers killed on that day were:
Cpl. Jamie Smith
Spc. James Cavaco
Sgt. Casey Joyce
Pfc. Richard “Alphabet” Kowalewski
Sgt. Dominick Pilla
Sgt. Lorenzo Ruiz

“Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for what you do every day, I wish you God speed, Rangers Lead the Way,” said McKnight.

Additional information about the battle of Mogadishu.

The Battle of Mogadishu was part of Operation Gothic Serpent by forces of the United States supported by the United Nations Operations in Somali against Somali militia fighters loyal to warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

The assault force was made up of US Army Delta Force, Ranger teams an air element provided by the 160th Speical Operations Aviation Regiment, four Navy Seals from SEAL Team 6 and members of the Air Force Pararescue/Air Force Combat Controllers, executed an operation which involved traveling from their compound on the outskirs of the city to capture tier one personalities of the Habr Gidr clan, headed by Aidid. The assault force composed of nineteen aircraft, twelveve vehicles and 160 men.

During the operation, two U.S. MH-60 Black Hawk Helicopters were shot down by rocket-propelled grenades and three others were damaged. Some of the soldiers were able to evacuate wounded back to the compound, but others were trapped at the crash sites and cut off. An urban battle ensued throughout the night.

Early the next morning, a combined task force was sent to rescue the trapped soldiers. It contained soldiers from Pakistan, Malaysia and the U.S.10th Mountain Division. They assembled some 100 vehicles, including Pakistani tanks (American-made M48s) and Malaysian Condor armored personnel carriers, and were supported by U.S. A/MH-6 Little Bird, and MH-60 helicopters. This task force reached the first crash site and led the trapped soldiers out. The second crash site was overrun and pilot Mike Durant, the lone surviving American from that site, was taken prisoner but later released.