Turkey says it captured 135 pirates

ANKARA

A British Marines team boards a pirate boat near the Somali coast.

The Turkish naval force serving as part of an anti-piracy international mission off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden has captured a total of 135 pirates in 20 operations since it assumed duty in 2009, the Turkish General Staff said. The figures included 41 pirates captured in five operations over the past year, the statement said, adding that it also provided protection and escort for many commercial vessels from various countries. No Turkish-flagged or Turkish-linked vessel has been high-jacked since March 2010, it said. Earlier this week, Parliament extended by a year the Turkish force’s mission until February 2013.