Photo: NATO

A group of Somali pirates (file photo): Security officials speculate the kidnappers may be pirates with financial ties to Al Shabaab.

Galka'yo — More details are yet coming out of a kidnapping against three aid workers who were on Wednesday taken hostages by armed groups in central Somalia, security officials said.

The aid workers are two Kenyans and a Somali doctor who work for the Swedish group International Aid Services (IAS) were kidnapped on Wednesday afternoon in Ba'adweyne district, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Galka'yo and controlled by Somalia's northern semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

Puntland officials say they are investigating into the matter and will take soon any necessary measures to rescue the hostages whom the armed assailants had taken the three to an unknown destination.Some reports suggest that the kidnappers are Somali pirates.

The driver of aid workers and a security guard were injured during the kidnapping which took place in Ba'adweyne district, a town which straddles the border separating Puntland and Galmudug states.

In October 2011, a Dane and an American were kidnapped in Galka'yo and held hostage for three months before being rescued by US Special Forces in a daring raid.