Bartamaha (Garowe):- Heavily-armed pirates in Somalia’s breakaway Puntland region on Monday attacked the convoy of a minister on a tour near one of their strongholds and killed at least one of his guards, an official said.
Puntland’s fisheries and seaports minister Said Mohamed Rage was visiting Garaad when his three-vehicle convoy was ambushed by pirates who had warned him against visiting the seaside town.
“The pirates ambushed the minister and his escort, killing one (guard) and injuring another near Garaad, but we are still investigating the incident,” Ali Yusuf Ali, Puntland’s deputy interior minister, told reporters.
“The minister was going there to meet some elders when he was attacked, but he is safe and on his way back.”
Abduweli Jama, a witness, however said two of the minister’s guards were killed.
“The pirates are heavily armed here and they warned Puntland forces against entering the town without their knowledge and that is what caused the attack,” Jama said.
Garaad is one of the pirates’ bastions along Somalia’s northern coast ruled by armed gangs and local officials rarely visit the town.
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Source:- AFP
