[El Gato]

What port of Eyl? Google shows nothing there, not even a harbor let alone a port. Just a tiny, rather slimy looking, stream, which appears, like the Rio Grande, to not quite make it to the ocean.

An earlier UK article says the port is "Ely", but I can't even find any such place.

[Billthedrill]

There isn't any spelling consistency there. I used the only one I know. Sorry... This Article is a couple of months old but it gives the gist of things.

It's a fascinating thing to watch grow. The origins of the old Barbary Coast were something similar. I doubt seriously this one will turn into a mini-state but weirder things have happened. These guys are making more than the entire area's annual budget.

What is even more interesting is the leverage granted a relatively small number of people by modern technology - we've all remarked on it with respect to political terrorism but this is purely commercial and astoundingly effective.

Unhindered by the refusal of UN sanction, the international community could make very short work of this problem by leveling the area. But I don't think that will happen. And I do think the problem will fester if it doesn't.