afrol News, 16 September - Two French citizens taken hostage by pirates off Somali coast two weeks ago have been freed by French army, French president's office said today.

"One pirate was killed and six others were captured" during operation late Monday ordered by president Nicolas Sarkozy, a statement from Elysee Palace announced.

The couple, Jean-Yves and Bernadette Delanne, were seized in a sailing boat in Gulf of Aden earlier this month by pirates who reportedly demanded a ransom of some US $1.4 million as well as release of six pirates held in French prison.

French commandos carried out an operation in April and captured six pirates after Somali pirates seized a French luxury sailing ship, Le Ponant, with its 30 crew members, including 22 French nationals, and held them for a week.

Andrew Mwangura, East Africa Coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Program (SAP) also confirmed French military commandos carried out an operation on Monday where they overpowered Somali pirates, leading to the death of one pirate.

The country has been plagued by factional fighting between warlords and hasn't had a functioning central administration since the 1991 ousting of former dictator Mohammed Siad Barre.

Pirates have stepped up attacks on merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden, as Somalia's current transitional government has failed to shackle pirates in the key commercial shipping lane.

Many attacks are reported to be taking place along Somalia's 3,700 kilometers of largely unpatrolled coast infested by pirates, who operate high-powered speedboats and carry heavy machine guns and rocket launchers.

Meanwhile, yesterday, pirates hijacked a Hong Kong chemical tanker sailing in a maritime security corridor patrolled by an international naval force in the Gulf. It is the 54th ship seized in waterway in the past year.

"The pirates are getting more aggressive with attacks on the rise despite increased security efforts. We urge all ships to keep a strict watch even while transiting in the corridor," Noel Choong of International Maritime Bureau said.

In June, UN Security Council adopted a resolution authorising foreign warships to enter Somalia's territorial waters with the government's consent to combat pirates and armed robbery at sea, but it is yet to be implemented.

In recent months, a multinational taskforce based in Djibouti has been patrolling parts of the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, where a pirates mothership is believed to be operating.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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