Indonesian security officials are concerned that the Sulu Sea could become the ‘new Somalia’ on the back of a series of ship attacks in the past month. Indonesia is warning shipowners to be careful when transiting the area following three attacks in the past three weeks with the attackers taking hostages for ransom. A total of 18 Indonesians and Malaysians have been kidnapped in the area in the last 21 days, with the attacks looking like coming from the Philippine militant group, Abu Sayyaf. 

“We don’t want to see this become a new Somalia,” Indonesian chief security minister Luhut Pandjaitan said yesterday. 

The foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines will meet in Jakarta soon to discuss the possibility of joint patrols. 

The Indonesian Navy has instructed all commercial vessels to avoid waters around the southern Philippines. 

Source http://splash247.com/indonesia-worried-sulu-sea-risks-becoming-the-new-somalia/