Iran fishing vessel sailors escape Somali kidnappers: Reports

The crew members of an Iranian fishing vessel have managed to escape from the chains of the Somali kidnappers.

According to VOA Somali, at least 16 sailors escaped from the village of El Hur in the north-central Mudug region of Somalia early on Thursday following five months of captivity by Somali pirates.

The exact details of the incident have not been released yet, but reports said the sailors cut the anchor of their vessel and fled the area through sea route.

Another Iranian boat and 20 of its sailors are still held captive in the African country.

Piracy was a major problem in the Gulf of Aden as Somali pirates frequently attacked ships, seized their cargoes and kidnapped crew members, later demanding ransom for their freedom. However, over the past years, the threat has largely been contained after international warships took to the area to protect trade vessels.

In line with international efforts to combat piracy, the Iranian Navy has also been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 to safeguard the vessels involved in maritime trade, especially the ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran.

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