The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.

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This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Friday, December 26, 2014

Attack on base was revenge for U.S. airstrike..[ 5071 ]

Al-Shabaab: Attack on base was revenge for U.S. airstrike

By Omar Nor, Mohammed Tawfeeq and Susanna Capelouto, CNN

December 26, 2014 -- Updated 1648 GMT (0048 HKT)

(CNN) -- Al-Shabaab said it attacked an African Union military base in Somalia on Thursday in retaliation for a U.S. airstrike that killed their leader near Barawe in September.

"Al-Shabaab has carried out the AU military base attack to revenge the killing of our leader, Ahmed Godane," the group's spokesman Ali Dheere said on Andalus radio,a pro-Al-Shabaab broadcaster, Friday.

Seven Al-Shabaab militants are dead after they attacked Somalia's largest base for African Union troops, according to the African Union Mission in Somalia.

Two militants in a car detonated themselves inside the Halane Military base in Mogadishu, AMISOM spokesman Ali Aden Houmed said.

Three AU soldiers from Uganda and a civilian died in the attack, AMISOM said on its website. Seven Al-Shabab soldiers were killed, AU said.

The heavily fortified base also houses several U.N. and international agencies.

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Was Al-Shabaab strike a message to ISIS?

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"I condemn this reprehensible attack on the AMISOM base camp in Mogadishu which also hosts the UN Headquarters for Somalia," U.N. Special Envoy for Somalia Nicholas Kay said.

He praised the quick response of AU forces to the attack.

Maman S. Sidikou, special representative of the AU Commission chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia and head of AMISOM, offered his condolences to the families of the victims and "applauded the quick response and bravery of the ... troops in quelling this reprehensible attack," according to AMISOM.

Al-Shabaab has been waging war in Somalia in an effort to implement a stricter form of Islamic law, or sharia.

Established in 2007, the U.N.-backed AMISOM currently has some 20,000 African Union troops deployed in the impoverished nation to "conduct peace support operations" and to "stabilize the situation."

What is Al-Shabaab and what does it want?

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