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Pirates leave a merchant vessel
that they seized for the
Somali shore in September 2008.
U.S. military forces freed
aid workers kidnapped by pirates
in October 2011.
Photo by: Jason R. Zalasky / U.S.
Navy
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U.S. military forces came like a thief
in the night on Wednesday (Jan. 25) in Somalia, taking with them two foreign
aid workers kidnapped by pirates in October.
The military forces freed American
Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Thisted, who have been in captivity for three
months. The two were abducted near the town of Galkayo in Putland along with a
Somali colleague, who later on was detained by police on suspicion of being involved in the
kidnapping. The Danish Refugee Council, which runs the Danish Demining Group
that employ the two, said they are now on their way to be reunited with their
families.
Two helicopters attacked the site — 20
kilometers north of Adado — where the hostages were being held, according to a
pirate named Ahmed Hashi. Another pirate, who identified himself as Bile
Hussein, said those present at the scene told him nine pirates had been killed.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack
Obama, in a statement released by the White House and quoted by the The Associated Press, praised the troops that carried out the
raid. Obama said he authorized the rescue mission, which took place just before
he delivered his 2012 State of the Union address.
Early January, two abducted Spanish
aid workers working for Médecins Sans Frontières have also been reportedly sold to pirates from Somalia’s Mudug region. No word yet on
their whereabouts.
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