VLADIVOSTOK, November 16 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian Pacific Fleet task force returned on Monday to its base in Vladivostok after completing an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.

One of the ships, the Admiral Tributs destroyer with two helicopters, a salvage tug, a tanker, and a naval infantry unit escorted commercial ships, conducted aerial reconnaissance, and searched for suspected pirate vessels off the Horn of Africa from July 30 to October 15.

During the tour of duty, the Pacific Fleet task force escorted a total of over 100 commercial vessels from 26 countries along the shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden. The task force also held two anti-piracy exercises together with Chinese naval ships.

Russia joined international anti-piracy efforts off the Somali coast in October 2008.

The task force was the third group of warships from the Russian Pacific Fleet engaged in the anti-piracy mission off Somalia.

The previous two task forces from the Pacific Fleet were led by the Admiral Vinogradov and Admiral Panteleyev destroyers.

The Pacific Fleet will send a fourth task force, comprising a missile destroyer, two support ships and a naval infantry unit to the Gulf of Aden.

Pirates have been active off Somalia as the war-ravaged country has been without an effective government since 1991.