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Somali rebels seize pirate haven of Haradhere
Somali insurgents have taken control of one of the main pirate havens in the south of the country. Residents said several hundred rebels of the group Hizbul Islam had taken over the coastal town of Haradhere and that the pirates had fled.
"Around 200 heavily armed militants... moved into the town early this morning and took up strategic positions, such as the police station and some former government premises," Haradhere resident Aden Jim'ale said. "We are in Haradhere now, we came here after we received a request from the local people to help them provide their security," Hizbul Islam chief of operations Mohamed Abdi Aros told the BBC.
One report citing an unnamed pirate said that a Hizbul Islam delegation had visited the town several days ago and demanded a share of the piracy trade. There is no confirmation. Hizbul Islam and the 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 in 2009, Hizbul Islam was ousted from the lucrative harbour-town by al-Shabab. Since losing Kismayo, they have been keen to gain a foothold in Haradhere before al-Shabab moves in, says the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu. Posted by: Steve White 2010-05-03 |
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