Somali forces, foreign navies prepare raid to free hostages
International Desk
Somali police and international navies have been preparing to raid a Bangladeshi-flagged commercial ship, MV Abdullah, that had been hijacked off the coast of Somalia last week.
Reuters news agency reported on Monday, quoting Somali police in the Puntland region.
The development comes two days after Indian commandos recaptured another cargo vessel, the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen, which had been seized in December, freeing its 17 crew members and arresting 35 pirates.
The police force from the semi-autonomous region of Puntland of Somalia, a base for many pirate gangs, said it was on high alert and prepared to participate in an operation against the pirates holding the MV Abdullah.
MV Abdullah was hijacked with 23 Bangladeshi crew members on board by armed Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean last Tuesday afternoon.
The bulk carrier of SR Shipping, a concern of Kabir Group, was on its way to Al Hamriyah Port in Dubai from Maputo Port in Mozambique. It was carrying some 55,000 tonnes of thermal coal.
