Unidentified warship captures 14 Somali pirates

[Jacaylbaro]

BOSASSO, Somalia, Sept 7 (Reuters) - An unidentified warship off pirate-ridden Somali waters captured 14 pirates and destroyed their boat, a minister of the northern Puntland region said on Sunday.

 

Abdulqadir Muse Yusuf, fisheries minister for the semi-autonomous region said the pirate vessel met a warship "that we think could be American" and all the pirates on board were captured and their boat destroyed.

 

However, the U.S. Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, said there was no American involvement in the operation.

 

Yusuf said local authorities were still investigating the identity of the warship."

 

Two French nationals were seized in their yacht in the perilous waters on Tuesday and the French navy has said it is ready to try to free them, although their safety came first.

 

The two captives were safe in a hill village 750 km (465 miles) east of Bosasso, Puntland's capital, a man who said he was the pirates' servant told Reuters on Sunday.

 

"The French tourists, whose boat was also hijacked, are now held inside the hilly areas of Habo village. They are safe and healthy," Abdinur Farah told Reuters from the deck of a seized Iranian ship.

 

He said the Iranian ship with 28 crew members including two Russians, two Pakistanis and a Syrian would soon be freed once the $2 million ransom agreed upon was paid.

 

"The bargaining about the ransom is over and pirates are just waiting for the money," he said.

 

"Puntland requested the pirates two weeks ago to hand over this Iranian ship, saying that it is carrying weapons to Eritrea. I have seen food and other odd items on the ship but I do not know what is hidden underneath."

 

HEFTY RANSOMS

 

Somali gunmen are holding more than 10 ships for ransom at Eyl, a lawless former fishing outpost now used by gangs behind a sharp rise in sea attacks.

 

The hijackings have become commonplace, especially in Puntland. However, pirates often treat hostages well in the hope of hefty ransoms. Most captured ships bring ransoms of more than $10,000 and in a few cases much more.

 

The gunmen in Eyl are also demanding a ransom of more than $9 million to free two Malaysian tankers, a Japanese-managed bulk carrier and a Nigerian tug boat.

 

The pirates are currently holding over 130 crew members.

 

Attacks at sea have boomed as lawlessness increased in Somalia, where there has not been a working government since warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

 

Since the start of last year, more than 8,000 civilians have been killed in fighting between allied Somali government and Ethiopian soldiers and Islamist rebels. Another 1 million have been driven from their homes.

 

The chaos in Somalia have also made the Horn of Africa a dangerous place for aid workers or foreigners. Two journalists, Canadian Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan, an Australian freelance photojournalist, were kidnapped last month.

 

A local radio station reported on Sunday that negotiations for their release were ongoing.

 

"We contacted (people in) Australia. We made him talk to his Australian relatives," Ahmad Ali, one of the kidnappers, told Somalia's Shabelle Radio. "Negotiations are progressing currently and, God willing, will be concluded."

[Jacaylbaro]

Mugadisho-(Qarannews))- Markab dagaal oo aan la aqoonin cidda leh ayaa Ciidamo saaran waxay Xeebaha Soomaaliya ka qabteen 14 Burcad Badeed Soomaali ah, kuwaasi oo la socday Doon yar oo ay adeegsadaan marka ay wax af-duubanayaan.

 

Wasiirka Kalluumeysiga Puntland C/qaadir Muuse Yuusuf ayaa u sheegay Wakaaladda Wararka Reuters in Markabkaas oo uu u maleynayo in uu Mareykanka leeyahay ay Ciidamada saaran burburiyeen Doontii ay Burcad Badeedka wateen, kadibna ay gacanta ku dhigeen.

 

“Weli waan baareynaa cidda Markabkaas Dagaal leh” ayuuna yiri Wasiirka Kalluumeysiga Puntland C/qaadir Muuse Yuusuf.

Bishii April ee sanadkan ayay ahayd markii Ciidamo Faransiis ah ay weerareen Kooxo Burcad Badeed ah oo ku sugnaa Xeebaha Puntland, kuwaasi oo ugu dambeyntii gacanta ku dhigay 6 ka mid ah Kooxihii Burcad Badeedka ahaa.

 

Kooxo Burcad Badeed ah ayaa waxay deegaanka Eyl ee Gobolka Nugaal ku heystaan 10 Markab iyo 130 Shaqaale ah oo la socday Maraakiibta ay heystaan, waxayna dalbanayaan lacag madax furasho ah oo aad u badan si ay u sii daayaan Maraakiibtaas oo qaarkood laga leeyahay Dalalka Masar, Malaysia, Faransiiska, Japan iyo Iran.

 

Af-duubka ay Kooxaha Burcad Badeedka ah ka geystaan Xeebaha Soomaaliya ayaa waxaa dhawaan kulan ka yeeshay Golaha Ammaanka ee Qaramada Midoobay, kaasi oo weliba meel-mariyay Qaraar ku saabsanaa in Ciidamo Caalami ah loo diro Xeebaha Soomaaliya, si ay ula dagaallamaan Kooxaha Burcad Badeedka.

[Jacaylbaro]

Ciidamada Mareykanka oo sii daayey burcad badeed

 

Markab kuwa dagaalka oo ciidamada Mareykanka ee Badda leeyihiin ayaa sii daayey 5 qof oo kamid ahaa burcad badeed Somali ah kuwaasoo oo la qabtey maalin ka-hor mar ay weerar ku qaadeen Maraakiib kala duwan oo marayey meelo ku dhow xeebaha Somalia. Ka dhageyso Halkan

 

Shanta Nin ayaa la qabtey iyaga oo damacsan in ay qafaashaan Markab laga leeyahay wadamada Singapore kuwasoo hadda ku sugan magalada Bosaso iyaga oo ciidamada Mareykanka kala hareen hubkii ay wateen.

 

Burcada Somalida ayaa wadatey Labo doonyood oo kuwa dheereeya ah iyo mid weyn kuwaasoo Todobo kamid ah ay horey u baxsatey.

 

Dhinaca kale warsidaha Radio Garowe ayaa arrintaan iyo kuwo kale wax ka waydiiyey Wasiir ku-xigeenka Wasaarada dekadaha iyo Kaluumeysiga Cabdulqaadir Muse Jantal.

 

Wasiir ku xigeenka ayaa sheegey in Marakiibta dagaalka ee wadamada xulafada ah qabteen kooxo burcad badeed ah oo ku jirey howlgal ay ku qafalayeen Markiib balse la sii daayey sababo aan la shaacin.

 

Mas'ulkaan ayaa meesha ka saarey warar lagu baahiyey saxafada kuwasoo tibaaxayey in wadamada xulufada ah layeen burcad badeed isaga oo sheegey in koxahan Dooni kamid ah kuwii ay ku ugaarsanyeen ka gadoontey taasoo burcadaan sheegtey wararka sheegaya in dad laga diley.

 

Ku-xigeenka Wasaarakada Kalumeysuga iyo dekadaha ayaa sidoo kale meesha ka saarey wararka sheegaya in ay jiraan saraakiil ka tirsan DGPL gacansaar la leeyihiin kooxaha burcad badeedka isaga oo yiri waa dacaayad.

 

Cabdulqaadir Muse ayaa eedeyn u soo jediyay wadamada Markiibta dagaal ka joogaan xeebaha Somalia iyo Badda Cadmeed isaga oo sheegey in aysan daacad ka aheyn wax ka qabshada burcad badeedka xukuumadiisu tabarta u weyday.