Somali Troops Hold Pirates As Dubai Ship Hijacking Ends

Several hijackers of a Dubai-flagged ship have been arrested after the vessel was stormed by Somali troops off the war-torn East African nation. The hijacking of the 'Al Khaleej' was the 12th such reported incident in Somali waters this year, according to International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which monitors crimes at sea. "A number of pirates have been arrested. We are trying to get a detailed report," IMB's assistant director Michael Howlett told reporters by phone from London on Tuesday. The troops boarded the vessel on Monday and freed the ship's crew. The pirates are believed to be from Somalia.IMB could not say the number of crew members and their nationalities. Information on the ship’s cargo was also not available. IMB declined to disclose the ship’s present location and the crew’s condition. According to a wire agency report, the 'Al Khaleej' was carrying food for sale in Somalia when it was hijacked seven kilometers off the port of Bosasso on Monday. Incidents of piracy have risen in recent months in and around Somali waters amid worsening chaos in the country.