Source: Bar Kulan

A group of former pirates in central Somalia regions have launched an anti-piracy campaign in their regions in order to pursue colleagues still in the field to renounce piracy and give up their activities.

The group will start touring areas along the pirate-infested coastline in Galgadud and Mudug including Hobyo, Harardere and Gaan, according to a member of the group, Diwan Abdullahi.

He said they will also visit remote areas of Harardere and Hobyo districts where pirates share their ransoms received from hijacked vessels and their crew.

Abdullahi, who was a former pirate himself told Bar-kulan that he has “entered a new and better life” after quitting piracy and urged to support his group in dismantling pirate networks.

Former Somali pirate kingpin Mohamed Abdi Hassan, who is also known as “Afweyne” is leading the anti-piracy campaigners in these regions.

Afweyne, who was mentioned in a UN report last year as “a pirate kingpin protected by Somali authorities” and several others announced their retirement from piracy early this month.

According to the UN report, Afweyne travelled to Malaysia in April last year using a diplomatic passport authorized by immediate TFG president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a charge Ahmed denied.

Afweyne also had in his possession a document issued by the Somali presidency stating he was involved in “counter-piracy activities,” according to the report. But in quick response, the then Somali President criticized the monitoring group’s conclusions as being unbalanced in a letter to the security council, adding that the report contained “unsubstantiated allegations.”

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