Puntland police arrest suspected pirates

May 29, 2012

  • + Comment now
  • Print
  • Reset Decrease Increase

Security forces in Puntland arrested 11 suspected pirates on Sunday (May 27th) after a raid on a pirate base in Hafun district, Puntland officials said.

The suspects included pirate and gang leader Mohamed Hassan, known as "Dhafoor", wanted by Puntland authorities for hijacking commercial vessels travelling the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden waterways, according to a statement by the Puntland security ministry on Monday.

Authorities have accused Dhafoor of killing five Puntland security officers during a March 2011 security operation to release a Danish family he was holding hostage, AFP reported.

Pirates captured the seven Danes -- a family with three teenage children, plus two crew members -- in February 2011 during a round-the-world voyage. They were released in September after the reported payment of a multi-million-dollar ransom.

What do you think of this article? (TOTAL VOTES: 0)

Dislike_icon(0)

(Comment Policy) *Denotes Required Field

Latest News

In the Spotlight

Subscribe

Poll

Do you think Tanzania's ban on religious hate speech will stop attacks against churches and mosques?

View results