Obama promises to fight rise in piracy in Somalia

Mombasa: US President Barack Obama has vowed "to halt the rise of piracy," while shipmates of the rescued US ship captain called for tough action against Somali pirates.

Obama appeared to move up the piracy issue on his agenda, saying on Monday that the United States would work with nations elsewhere in the world.

The rescue operation of Richard Phillips won praise abroad but it was uncertain how far Obama wanted to go to engage the pirates.

Military officials say the US is considering options including adding Navy gunships along the Somali coastline and launching a campaign to disable pirate "mother ships."