Garowe Online (Garowe)
15 November 2009
Authorities in Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland said they have rescued nine foreigners held hostage by Somali pirates in the town of Eyl.
The nine people from India and Bangladesh were onboard a fishing boat Al Hilal seized by pirates on November 9 in the Gulf of Aden.
Qasim Aw-Ali, a spokesman for Puntland security forces said elders in Eyl were the ones who rescued the hostages from the pirates and then handed over to the security forces who are holding them in the state's administrative capital of Garowe.
The nine, especially the Indians are reportedly in good health, calling off the hunger strike, which they started when pirates seized their vessel.
Currently, Somalia-based pirates are holding more than 250 crew on board 13 sea-jacked vessels waiting for payment of ransom money.
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