Manama, Bahrain - The US Navy's 5th Fleet Command which oversees all naval operations of a US-led coalition in the Middle East announced Thursday the establishment of a new task force specifically for counter-piracy operations.

Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) is be composed of naval ships and "assets" from more than 20 nations, the US military said in a statement.

US Navy Rear Admiral Terence McKnight has been named the commander of the new task force which is set to be fully operational by the middle of January.

Coalition efforts included CTF-150, which includes the deterrence of "destabilizing activities," such as drug smuggling and weapons trafficking in the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

The establishment of CTF-151 will allow CTF-150 participants to remain focused on those activities, giving CTF-151 the ability to focus solely on the counter-piracy mission. (dpa)