Somalia: French Navy Hands over Captured Pirates to Puntland (RBC NEWS)

ABDALLE MUUMIN
RBC NEWS, Bosaso
e-mail: cabdallemuumin2@gmail.com

BOSASO -(RBC Radio)-: The French navy had handed over 5 Somali pirates to Puntland authorities in Bosaso port town on Monday, police chief told RBC Radio.

Five Somali pirates who had been caught by French navy after attacking their war ship had been handed to Puntland security forces as part of an agreement between French navy and Puntland, Col. Mohamed Said Jakanaf Puntland deputy police commander told RBC Radio.

“They were 5 pirates and one fibre boat who had been captured by the French war ship “La Somme”, and we sent them to the custody”, said Col. Jakanaf.

It is the eighth time that the French navy hands over captured pirates to Puntland authority.

The pirates in two fibre glass skiffs mistook the 18, 000 tonne La Somme last week for a commercial tanker, According to a French navy spokesman and had been caught in a military operation.

According to a statement from Puntland police some of the captured pirates were wounded during the French navy operation last week and had been treated.

Deputy police commander said they will prepare a trial of the pirates soon as the judicial will be made according to Somali law of pirates.

“We put trial on every pirate as this action is both international and national crime”, Col. Jakanaf said.

The French navy and other international forces operating Somali coast had already handed over captured pirates to the Somali’s Puntland authority and most of them are in jail now.

International forces operate in the red sea and Gulf of Aden, one of the world’s busiest lanes to fight against Somali pirates who attack foreign vessels crossing the Gulf of Aden.
Source: RBC Radio