afrol News, 8 November - In a major operation to regain control of Somali waters and demonstrate the return of law and order, the Mogadishu-based Islamist court movement today applied armed speed in an attack on a hijacked commercial vessel, held by Somali pirates. After a fierce battle, the Islamists were able to free the UAE vessel and its crew and arrest the injured pirates.

Islamic fighters with speed boats today "forcefully freed" a recently hijacked vessel registered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was chartered to Somali businessmen, Mogadishu-based freelance journalist Ahmed Yusuf told afrol News this afternoon. The 'MV Veesham' was hijacked by group of pirates last week as it has sailed from El-Maan port near Mogadishu carrying charcoal to Oman.

According to Mr Yusuf, the ship was attacked by Islamist forces off the coast of central Somalia's Mudug region, as the pirates were commandeering the vessel northwards to the coast of semi-independent Puntland. While the most of the Mudug region is controlled by the Islamist, Puntland is in the hands of warlords close to Somalia's transitional government.

After the vessel and its crew members had been in the hands of pirates for one week, local Islamist militias launched a surprise attack early today, chasing down the 'MV Veesham'. A heavy gun battle was reported to have lasted for over an hour. At least two pirates were reported to be seriously injured following the battle.

The successful surprise attack ended in full victory for the Islamist militia, which soon took control over the vessel, its crew and the pirates. The Islamists "arrested eight hijackers armed with automatic machine guns," Mr Yusuf reports. The Islamists had also confiscated two speed boats used by pirates.

The vessel is now off the coast of Gann, 18 kilometres outside Harardhere town, and all the eight pirates were taken to the prison of that town, Mr Yusuf told afrol News. Harardhere earlier had been one of the reputed headquarters of Somalia's pirates before the Islamic Courts took over the town. It is located 480 kilometres northeast of the capital Mogadishu.

This is the first major naval operation headed by the increasingly self-confident Islamists, which now control most of Somalia. A trademark of the Islamist court movement is the establishment of law and order in the areas they control, which greatly contributes to their popularity after more than a decade of chaos, although their rigid Islamist law interpretation is of concern for many Somalis.

Widespread piracy and anarchy along the Somali coast has made international shipping avoid these waters if possible during the last decade. Pirates have been left to operate unchecked along most of Somalia's coast, hijacking a large number of international vessels to demand stiff ransoms.

With the establishment of the Islamists along the Somali coast, this situation is slowly changing. In early September, shipping had become so much safer off southern Somalia that the UN started using the Mogadishu port for food aid transports into the country for the first time in ten years. The Islamists had declared the Mogadishu port reopened in August and took armed control over port facilities. Pirates, looters and others threatening shipping services were dealt with harshly according to Islamic laws.

While the security situation for international shipping off Somalia has improved strongly during the last few months, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) still warns against the Somali coast. A recent ICC study summed up eight recent attacks that had been reported off the eastern coast of Somalia, "where pirates armed with guns and grenades attacked ships and fired upon them."

"The eastern and north-eastern coasts of Somalia continue to be high-risk areas for hijackings," the IMB warned only one week ago. The agency urged that "ships not making scheduled calls to ports in these areas should stay at least 75 miles or as far away as practical from the coast."

By staff writers

© afrol News

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