Attempted Somali Pirate Hostage Rescue: Three Dead

Puntland, a Province of NE Somalia, Maritime Police Force (PMPF) in shoot-out with pirates aboard hijacked 'MV Iceberg 1' in rescue attempt.

The  crew on board the Iceberg 1, has been held hostage by pirates since March 2010. For some long while the pirates kept the hostages apart at different locations, but information received by Puntland security agencies indicated that the crew had been returned to the ship. PMPF forces went into action on Dec. 10, 2012, when there was an exchange of gunfire between them and the pirates.

Puntland government forces prevented supplies from getting in or out of the hijacked vessel. On the morning of Dec. 11, 2012, a group of pirates bringing weapons and ammunition supplies attacked Puntland government forces manning the coast and 3 pirates were killed and 3 others captured in the subsequent clash. Weapons and ammunition seized include: 5 AK-47 rifles, 1 PKM machine-gun, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Since the operation began, four soldiers have been wounded and Puntland Government extends its praise and thanks to government forces committed to the operation.

Pirates have held the MV Iceberg 1 crew hostage for ransom for over 2 years and 9 months, and some of them have been killed and others have been mutilated and tortured. The rescue operation is to continue.