Bawarij Pirates from Debal, Sindh

Bawarij Pirates from Debal

The Pirates from Sind (Indus Valley) - Bawarij`s were considered to be the most notorious Pirates between 8th to 13th century. There territory is from Indian Ocean to Red sea including Hormuz to Makran, then to Deybal, Mansurah and other ports of Sind, and onwards to Gujarat.

Probably there name Bawarij is derived from the word Barja which is specific type of warship. Al Tabari described Barja in 3rd volume in chapter "On attack by the Bawarij on Basrah" to be a warships having one pilot, three fire throwers, a carpenter, baker, 39 rowers and fighters.

Moreover Ibn Battutah described South Asian warships as having 60 oars and others as having 50 oars and 50 Abyssinian men working, with a large roof that protected the workers from arrows during battles.

The Bawarij were known for harassing raiding ships which were on their way to South and East Asia but there activity near the southern Red Sea were most annoying and merchant ships often had to carry Greek Fire to fend away the Bawarij!

At that time there were 2 main Sea routes : 

Rout 1 - Ships could either stay in Muscat port in Oman to grab necessities and then sail directly across the Indian Ocean to Malabar.
Rout 2 -  Follow the coastal route, from Hormuz to Makran, then to Deybal, Mansurah and other ports of Sind, and onwards to Gujarat. This route was infested by pirates who’d make sure to harass ships from Gujarat to the mouth of the Tigris in the Persian gulf.

Probably Bawarij were Yemeni Pirates based in Socotra Island and moved to Sindh after they had been forced to flew from coastal areas of Oman. 

References: 
The History of India as told by its own historians - H. M. Elliot. 
Bibliographical index to the Historians of Mohammaden India - H.M. Elliot. 
The Book of Ser Marco Polo Vol.2 
Arab seafaring in the Indian Ocean - G. F. Hourani, J. Carswell