Al-Shabaab kidnaps 14 Iranian fishermen stranded in Somalia

[azurnoir]

Source: The Guardian

Al-Shabaab militants have kidnapped 14 crew members of an Iranian fishing boat off the coast of Somalia, seizing them as their vessel washed ashore, Iranian state television and residents said.

The extremists detained the fishermen after the vessel drifted into the militants’ stronghold on Wednesday, Yasin Maalin, a resident of the town of El-Dher in Somalia’s coastal region of Galgadud, told the Associated Press by telephone. Ali Hussein, another resident, corroborated his account.

On Wednesday night, the Iranian state television station’s scrolling news bar announced the kidnapping, saying the vessel owned by an Iranian fishing organisation suffered a technical fault near the Somali coast. It did not elaborate.

Despite losing some of its top leaders in US air strikes and being pushed by African Union forces out of the capital, Mogadishu, al-Shabaab still has control over territory in south and central Somalia. The group carries out deadly bombings against government targets and public places seen as popular with foreigners.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/13/al-shabaab-kidnaps-14-iranian-fishermen-somalia

[Ex Lurker]

1. Perhaps we can rescue these guys and generate some goodwill between the US and Iran NT

[Cha]

3. I hope so.. or somebody does. I feel for those fishermen.

[dembotoz]

2. so are these the bad guys who like Iran or the bad guys who hate iran

Or is this just about $$$$$$

[JI7]

4. Maybe a Sunni v shia thing

[cosmicone]

5. Al Shabaab is a Saudi funded outfit

I doubt the captured Iranians will see June or even the last week of May.