Operation Atalanta

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Operation Atalanta
Part of counter-piracy efforts off the Horn of Africa
Date 8 December 2008 – present (15 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 2 days) Location Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean Result Ongoing
Belligerents
List  European Union  Austria  Belgium  Bulgaria  Croatia  Cyprus  Czech Republic  Denmark  Estonia  Finland  France  Germany  Greece  Hungary  Ireland  Italy  Latvia  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Netherlands  Malta  Poland  Portugal  Romania  Slovakia  Slovenia  Spain  Sweden  Colombia  Iceland  Liechtenstein  Montenegro  New Zealand  Norway  Serbia   Switzerland  United Kingdom	Somali pirates
Commanders and leaders
Vice Admiral José María Núñez Torrente [es] (Operation Commander EU Naval Force) Rear Admiral Paolo Spagnoletta (Deputy Operation Commander EU Naval Force) Commodore Rui Correia (Force Commander EU Naval Force)	Unknown
Strength
1–4 surface vessels 1–2 maritime patrol & reconnaissance aircraft (normally)	unknown

Operation Atalanta, formally European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia, is an ongoing counter-piracy military operation at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean, that is the first naval operation conducted by the European Union (EU), in support of United Nations resolutions 1814, 1816, 1838, and 1846 adopted in 2008 by the United Nations Security Council. Since 29 March 2019,^[1] the operational headquarters is located at Naval Station Rota (NAVSTA Rota) in Spain, having moved from London as a result of the British withdrawal from the EU.^[2]

It is part of a larger global action by the EU to prevent and combat acts of piracy in the Indian Ocean, and it is the first EU naval operation to be launched.^[3] It cooperates with the multinational Combined Task Force 151 of the US-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and NATO's anti-piracy Operation Ocean Shield.

The mission was launched in December 2008 with a focus on protecting Somalia-bound vessels and shipments belonging to the WFP and AMISOM, as well as select other vulnerable shipments. In addition, Operation Atalanta monitors fishing activity on the regional seaboard.^[4] In 2012, the scope of the mission expanded to include Somali coastal territories and internal waters so as to co-ordinate counter-piracy operations with Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and regional administrations.^[5] On 16 July 2012, the EU also mandated the EUCAP Nestor mission to build up the maritime capacity of regional navies.^[6]

In July 2018, the Council of the European Union extended the Mandate of Operation ATALANTA until December 2020.

On 1 January 2021, the Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/2188^[7] of 22 December 2020 that extended again the mandate of the EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA for another two years was implemented.