Somali Pirates Won’t Hurt Algerian Abducted Sailors, Official

Somali pirates would not hurt the 17 Algerian sailors abducted in January, for they are Muslims, said Director General at the Ministry of Interior in charge of Homeland Security in the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Major General Bashir Mohammed Jama.

The Somali official further reassured in an exclusive statement to Echorouk reporter in Somalia, that all the stories of hostages abducted by the Somali pirates ended by releasing them.

Major General Bashir Mohamed who received Echorouk reporter in his office in Mogadishu indicated that he does not have further details on the hijacked Algerian-flagged bulk carrier, “Yet, all I can say is that the Algerian sailors are safe and sound, and I wish they would be set free as soon as possible.”

He further added that the Somali TFG is ready to help Algeria government to reach a denouement to this crisis an end the 8 months lasting suffering of the sailors, saying “We’d do our best in this regard.”

On another side, the Somali official revealed the existence of about 50 Algerian militants in the ranks of the Harakat al-Shabab al-Mujahideen, which is responsible for the majority of abductions there.

He further said that the 3000 elements movement counts also many militants from different nationalities, including from Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, African and Gulf countries.   

Major General has called on the international community, Arab countries included, to help the TFG to set up a naval force reinforced by warships to set control over the territorial waters, as well as helping the famine struck country to train its land forces, “because the majority of piracy operations take place on land, rather than in the sea.”