This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/8657810.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Somali pirates move captive ships | Somali pirates move captive ships |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Three ships held captive by Somali pirates have been moved after Islamist insurgents seized one of their bases. | Three ships held captive by Somali pirates have been moved after Islamist insurgents seized one of their bases. |
| The ships, reportedly with some 60 crew on board, have been sailed 230km (150 miles) up the coast from Haradhere to Hobyo, a pirate told the BBC. | |
| The fate of some 300 other hostages, including a British couple, is unclear. | The fate of some 300 other hostages, including a British couple, is unclear. |
| BBC East Africa correspondent Will Ross says complex ransom negotiations risk being undermined by a possible turf war after multi-million dollar payments. | BBC East Africa correspondent Will Ross says complex ransom negotiations risk being undermined by a possible turf war after multi-million dollar payments. |
| Residents said several hundred insurgents from the Hizbul-Islam group took control of Haradhere over the weekend. | Residents said several hundred insurgents from the Hizbul-Islam group took control of Haradhere over the weekend. |
| The pirates are afraid of the Islamists and you cannot see them in town today Abdikafar Mohamed, fisherman | The pirates are afraid of the Islamists and you cannot see them in town today Abdikafar Mohamed, fisherman |
| Hizbul-Islam wants to establish Sharia law in Somalia and put an end to the pirate trade in the town, the leader of the insurgents told the BBC. | Hizbul-Islam wants to establish Sharia law in Somalia and put an end to the pirate trade in the town, the leader of the insurgents told the BBC. |
| But our correspondent says there are reports that this same militant group had earlier tried to strike a deal with the pirates to try to get a share of the profits. | But our correspondent says there are reports that this same militant group had earlier tried to strike a deal with the pirates to try to get a share of the profits. |
| Our correspondent says the shipping industry will watch the group's next moves very closely to get an idea of whether the vital shipping lanes look set to become safer or more dangerous. | Our correspondent says the shipping industry will watch the group's next moves very closely to get an idea of whether the vital shipping lanes look set to become safer or more dangerous. |
| Pirates have seized dozens of ships in the Indian Ocean in recent years, leading several nations to send warships to the area to protect commercial shipping. | Pirates have seized dozens of ships in the Indian Ocean in recent years, leading several nations to send warships to the area to protect commercial shipping. |
| Al-Shabab - Admitted links with al-Qaeda - Has foreign fighters in its ranks- Well organised militarily and logisticallyHizbul-Islam- Led by Hassan Dahir Aweys - Aweys led al-Itihad al-Islamiya, put on US terror list in 2001 - Home-grown Islamist movement Behind Somalia's Islamist rivalry | Al-Shabab - Admitted links with al-Qaeda - Has foreign fighters in its ranks- Well organised militarily and logisticallyHizbul-Islam- Led by Hassan Dahir Aweys - Aweys led al-Itihad al-Islamiya, put on US terror list in 2001 - Home-grown Islamist movement Behind Somalia's Islamist rivalry |
| Somalia has not had an effective government for nearly 20 years. | Somalia has not had an effective government for nearly 20 years. |
| Our correspondent says the fate of more than 350 hostages currently being held by the pirates is precarious to say the least. | Our correspondent says the fate of more than 350 hostages currently being held by the pirates is precarious to say the least. |
| The pirates, divided into numerous different groups, are also holding about 20 ships in their various bases, such as Haradhere. | The pirates, divided into numerous different groups, are also holding about 20 ships in their various bases, such as Haradhere. |
| Pirate Ali Omar told the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu by telephone that the ships had been moved to Hobyo. | Pirate Ali Omar told the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu by telephone that the ships had been moved to Hobyo. |
| The AFP news agency reports that these ships have a total of 60 crew, from countries including Myanmar and Kenya. | The AFP news agency reports that these ships have a total of 60 crew, from countries including Myanmar and Kenya. |
| "There were three ships near the coast of Harardhere but this morning we cannot see them, they moved towards Hobyo," Abdikafar Mohamed, a fisherman, told AFP. | "There were three ships near the coast of Harardhere but this morning we cannot see them, they moved towards Hobyo," Abdikafar Mohamed, a fisherman, told AFP. |
| "I think the pirates are afraid of the Islamists and you cannot see them in town today, they fled, you cannot reach them on their cell phones as most of them headed towards Hobyo." | "I think the pirates are afraid of the Islamists and you cannot see them in town today, they fled, you cannot reach them on their cell phones as most of them headed towards Hobyo." |
| Hundreds of pirates could be seen leaving Haradhere in luxury cars hours before the insurgents moved in, local resident Suleyman Gadid told the BBC. | Hundreds of pirates could be seen leaving Haradhere in luxury cars hours before the insurgents moved in, local resident Suleyman Gadid told the BBC. |
| Hizbul-Islam and the hard-line Islamist group al-Shabab have a common agenda in fighting the UN-backed interim government and have previously shared control of the southern Somali port of Kismayo. | Hizbul-Islam and the hard-line Islamist group al-Shabab have a common agenda in fighting the UN-backed interim government and have previously shared control of the southern Somali port of Kismayo. |
| But the two groups fell out in 2009 and al-Shabab, which has links to al-Qaeda, ousted Hizbul-Islam from the lucrative harbour-town. | But the two groups fell out in 2009 and al-Shabab, which has links to al-Qaeda, ousted Hizbul-Islam from the lucrative harbour-town. |
| Since losing Kismayo, the group has been keen to gain a foothold in Haradhere before al-Shabab moved in, says the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu. | Since losing Kismayo, the group has been keen to gain a foothold in Haradhere before al-Shabab moved in, says the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu. |