(SomaliNet) The local authorities of Harardhere town in central Somalia Friday have expressed great concern over reviving pirates in the town. Abdisalan Khalif, chairman of Harardhere town in Mudug region, central Somalia confirmed the local media that Somali pirates massed at the town which was notorious for piracy in the past. The pirates were reportedly preparing to launch acts of hijacking the ships on the the Somalia coasts. Khalif rebuffed that residents in Haradhere were supportive of the pirates. “The pirates inflict harm to the civilian population, so there is no way residents can back the pirates”, he said.
Khalif said the government should send troops to crush down the pirates. The Islamic Courts Union, which was in control of the area for the past six months, eradicated the practices of piracy before they were forcefully driven out by the Ethiopian and Somali government troops. Harardhere, a coastal town was the hotspot of Somali pirates but Islamists later flushed out all pirates in the area.