On November 7th, an incident occurred in the Red Sea that hasn’t gain media attention. Three Azerbaijani ships were detained by Eritrean navy for allegedly entering deep in to Eritrean territorial waters without prior authorization.
The ships, along with their 24 crew members, of which 18 of them are from Azerbaijan, have been held in custody, and their prolonged detention has ignited a wave of speculation across social media platforms.
While the situation remains under investigation, the delays in releasing the vessels have led some to wonder if the cargo aboard the ships may include weapons tied to a hostile government.
Nevertheless, it’s important to note that these remain merely speculations at this point and there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the ships were involved in any illegal activity beyond the alleged unauthorized entry deep into Eritrean waters.
Historically, Eritrean authorities have been cautious in their handling of such incidents.
In 2011, for instance, it took up to six months for the government to release findings on four British nationals who were caught with a cache of weapons and speedboats on one of the country’s remote islands. The lengthy investigation was seen as a sign of Eritrea’s methodical approach to sensitive national security matters.
Given this pattern, it’s likely that Eritrea is taking its time to fully understand the situation before releasing any official statement. The delayed release of the Azerbaijani ships may simply reflect the government’s thorough investigation into the matter. [TN]