Bossaso — The president of Somalia 's Puntland government Abdirahman Mohamed Farole has congratulated the government 's anti-piracy force Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) for safely rescuing the 22 hostages of the MV Iceberg 1 vessel held hostage by Somali pirates for nearly 3 years, Garowe Online reports.

President Farole visited the PMPF compound in the outskirts of Bossaso on Monday. He was accompanied by Puntland Parliament 's Deputy Speaker Salaad Hared, Puntland Security Minister Khalif Issa Mudan, Agriculture Minister Mohamud Haji Salah, and Deputy Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali Hosh.

Abdirizak Awil Farey, PMPF soldier killed during MV Iceberg 1 hostage rescue operation

After being saluted by the PMPF soldiers, President Farole addressed the troops and sent his congratulations for PMPF efforts to safely rescue 22 hostages of MV Iceberg 1 from the pirates. The rescued hostages hailed from Yemen, India, Ghana, Pakistan, Sudan, and the Philippines.

PMPF forces [Dec. 31, 2012]

"I congratulate you all for your professionalism and patience during the 14-day humanitarian rescue operation which ended in success, praise be to Allah, " said President Farole, adding: "I also extend my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of PMPF soldier Abdirizak Awil Farey who was killed during the rescue operation. "

PMPF forces [Dec. 31, 2012]

President Farole called on the PMPF forces to "continue the anti-piracy campaign" and expressed Puntland government 's "commitment to eradicate piracy" in the region.

PMPF is part of Puntland government forces and was established in 2010 with generous assistance from the United Arab Emirates, with the mandate of fighting piracy. PMPF forces have been deployed at Eyl, Bargal and Hafun coastal towns to disrupt piracy operations, according to the Puntland government.