 |
| Map showing the location of the Gulf of Aden, located between Yemen and Somalia. Nearby bodies of water include the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Judith Tebbutt, 56, was seized in a raid on the Kenyan island of Lamu in September and was taken to Somalia by her captors who killed her husband, David Tebbutt, 58.
"We managed to get the hostage released by her captors after lengthy negotiations with them," Omar Mohamed Diiriye, a senior official in the regional administration, told Xinhua.
The officials said no ransom was paid for the release of the elderly Briton, but reports indicate that money was paid to the pirates to secure her freedom.
Somali pirates operate in the central Somali regions and carry out hijacking of ships plying along the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
Dozens of ships as well as hundreds of their crew members are still being held hostage in Somalia. Pirates often demand hefty ransom for their release.
The raid by Somali pirates on the Kenyan island of Lamu last September was unprecedented as pirates often carry out hijacking of ships to get their hostages.
A number of countries including China have sent their navy to the waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden to help fight the menace of piracy after the authorization of the UN Security Council.
While pirate activities have decreased in the area, a number of incidents have been reported along the Somali coast.
Washington Time
Kabul Time
London Time
0 comments:
Post a Comment