14 Lithuanian troops leaving for EU operation off Somali coasts

The fourth rotation of the autonomous vessel protection group will last until next March.

The unit consists of troops of Lithuania’s Navy and will guard the World Food Program vessel delivering humanitarian assistance, mainly to the people of Somalia.

Over the four months, the group will cover about 7,000 nautical miles or 13,000 km.

Currently, Lithuania has one officer in the ATALANTA operation, serving in the mission operational headquarters in the United Kingdom.

Related Post

One of the largest European Union-led military operations, EU NAVFOR – Operation ATALANTA was launched late in 2008 in response to the rising levels of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia. Warships deployed on EU NAVFOR escort WFP ships delivering aid to the Somali people via the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, deter and apprehend pirates and armed robbers in the area of operation.

Lithuania was the most active in the operation in August through December of 2013 when it had 20 troops stationed off Somalia.

Currently, the EU-led operation involves about 1,000 troops from EU member-states and partner nations, as well as warships and warplanes.

Share

Recent Posts

  • Foreign affairs

“No need to mince words”: an assessment of what Trump’s victory means for Lithuania

"We can shout very loudly, but it won't change the position of the American people,"…

1 day ago
  • Latest

Lies, disrespect and mockery: experts assess Blinkevičiūtė’s “gift” to voters without scruples

From mocking messages flooding social networks to harsh criticism from political experts, the decision of…

1 week ago
  • Foreign affairs

Another year in the sovereign history of Kazakhstan

Republic Day has been celebrated in Kazakhstan as the main national date since 2022, giving…

2 weeks ago
  • Defence

In the assessment of NATO’s readiness for war with Russia, there is also a warning about the Baltic states: what is the Kremlin’s wild card?

According to Lrytas.lt, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) faces a new geopolitical reality with…

2 weeks ago
  • Tribune

The Citus projects: The Kaip Niujorke by CITUS project continues – the spirit of New York unfolds in Vilnius, and the second phase is launching

In September, Citus – a creative real estate projects’ development and placemaking company – began…

2 weeks ago
  • Latest

These parties will enter the Seimas for the third time in a row. How many votes did they lose, and how many did they gain?

As various parties emerge, disappear or reorganize themselves in the political space, the Lithuanian Social…

3 weeks ago