Egyptian Navy leads Red Sea maritime taskforce

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) – Egypt said Tuesday its Navy has assumed the command of the Combined Maritime Force 153 (CMF) for the first time.

Based in Bahrain, CMF is a 34-nation maritime coalition that undertakes counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and regional cooperation.

In a statement, an Egyptian military spokesman said the CMF is one of the major joint mechanisms that would reinforce security, regional stability, and counter threats.

He said Egypt will lead the taskforce to combat smuggling and confront illegal activities, including terrorism in the Red Sea, Bab El Mendeb and the Gulf of Aden.

“This comes in cooperation with the United States and brotherly and friendly countries to confront threats and challenges that target the security and stability of the region,” the spokesman said, without providing any further details.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar