Iran working on release of 18 captors held by Somali pirates-MP

Iranian authorities said Sunday efforts were underway to secure the release of 18 of its citizens held captive by Somali pirates and the militant group Al-Shabaab.

An Iranian MP quoted by local media said the government was working to release the captors who were kidnapped between March and April of 2015.

“18 fishermen were abducted in Somalia, 4 of them were abducted by pirates and 14 others were abducted by al-Shabaab,” Abdulqafur Iranejad told the news agency ICANA.

The lawmaker added that the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence Agency have succeeded in releasing 4 persons from the pirates but the other 18 of Al-Shabaab and pirates.

Abdulqafur Iranejad said the captors were fishermen and not terrorists.

The first group of 20 was kidnapped by pirates in Hobyo in central Somalia March 2015 and 4 of them managed to escape six months later.

Out of the 16 that remained in captivity, 8 died while 4 were freed with the help of Iranian ministry of intelligence. The remaining four are still in captivity

The second group of 14 is reported to have been kidnapped by Al-Shabaab in April 2015.