Egyptian Ambassador freed in Somalia

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Egyptian envoy freed in Somalia

NAIROBI, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's envoy to Somalia has been freed by the authorities in Somali's semi-autonomous region of Puntland after being held captive for five days, Kenya's maritime official confirmed here Saturday.

Andrew Mwangura, the Coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Program (SAP) said Saeed Mosry, the Egyptian Ambassador to Somalia, was released after Puntland leader's Ade Mosse's intervention.

"The Ambassador was released on Friday after five days in captivity. He was negotiating the release of three Egyptian vessels and their crew arrested for illegal fishing," Mwangura told Xinhua by telephone.

He said the fishermen and their three boats left Somali waters late Tuesday after the Egyptian ambassador in Mogadishu negotiated their release.

Mwangura said Mosry was also able to negotiate a reduction in the fine imposed on the fishermen. "The Ambassador was detained after funds wired to settle the fine was delayed. The three fishing boats and the 60 crew had earlier been freed," said Mwangura.

Reports say the authorities in Puntland had fined the vessel owners 300,000 U.S. dollars but it is not clear how much was paid. The semi-autonomous region of Puntland, in the northeast of the Horn of Africa, remains part of Somalia but generally administers its own affairs through its own military and government institutions.

Hijackings and piracy have surged since last month as armed groups take advantage of a lack of law and order in the country, which has been without an effective central government since 1991.

Two fishing trawlers from Republic of Korea and one from China's Taiwan are still being held somewhere on the Somali coast.

Many Somali pirates claim to be coastguards, protecting waters against illegal fishing and the dumping of toxic waste.

The attacks have halted food aid deliveries to Somalia by sea, after an attempt by pirates to seize a ship chartered by the United Nations food relief agency.

On Sunday, the head of the World Food Program said their program to feed one million Somalis is under threat.