MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 3 (UPI) -- Somali pirates took three captured ships and fled their stronghold in Africa before it was taken over by Islamic insurgents, a pirate said Monday.
The ships, reportedly with 60 crew members on board, were moved about 70 miles up the Somali coast from Haradhere to Hobyo, the BBC said. The fate of about 300 hostages remained unclear.
Ransom negotiations were at risk of being undercut by a possible pirate-insurgent war over the multimillion dollar payments, the pirate said.
Residents said several hundred insurgents from an Islamic group seized control of Haradhere during the weekend, seeking to establish Shariah, the legal code of Islam, in Somalia and end the pirate trade in the town, the leader of the insurgents told the British broadcaster.
Contradictory reports indicated that the same militant group may have earlier tried to strike a deal with the pirates to try to get a share of the profits.
Haradhere residents said they saw hundreds of pirates leave before the insurgents moved into the city.
Fisherman Abdikafar Mohamed said, "The pirates are afraid of the (Islamic insurgents) and you cannot see them in town today."
