Somalia

Somali forces storm hijacked Dubai ship

Article published on the 2008-04-22 Latest update 2008-04-23 05:56 TU

Somalia

Security forces in northern Somalia have stormed a hijacked ship, rescuing hostages and arresting seven pirates, officials said. It was the second rescue mission against pirates operating off Somalia this month, after French commandos swooped to arrest six pirates in the same area.

"Our troops stormed on to the Al-Khaleej and engaged the pirates. There was brief fighting before they defeated them," said Abdirizak Hared, the mayor of Bosasso port.

The Dubai-flagged ship originated from the United Arab Emirates and was seized Monday, according to officials.

Piracy is rampant along Somalia's 3,025km coast, which is the longest in Africa and is near key shipping routes connecting the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean.

Wracked by more than a decade of violence, Somalia does not have a navy. The US Navy has led international patrols to try to combat piracy in the region.

The United States and France are drafting a UN resolution that would allow countries to chase and arrest pirates off Somalia's coast.