Somali minister: Gov’t in talks with kidnappers of 2 French security advisers

October 7th, 2009 Somali pirates attack French military vesselPARIS — Somali pirates in two skiffs fired on a French navy vessel early Wednesday after apparently mistaking it for a commercial boat, the French military said. The French ship gave chase and captured five suspected pirates.

October 7th, 2009 Somali pirate error ends with 5 in French brigPARIS — Somali pirates in two skiffs fired on a French navy vessel early Wednesday after apparently mistaking it for a commercial boat, the French military said. The French ship gave chase and captured five suspected pirates.

September 17th, 2009 Somali insurgents holding Frenchman issue demandsMOGADISHU, Somalia — Islamic insurgents demanded Thursday that France stop supporting Somalia's government and withdraw its warships from anti-piracy patrols in exchange for the release of a French security agent — conditions which the French government immediately rejected. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told France-Info radio that Paris' support for the embattled Somali government remains firm, noting he has twice met with Somali President Sheikh Sharif and his ministers, who "represent Somalia.".

September 7th, 2009 Somali govt detains hostages freed by piratesMOGADISHU, Somalia — A deal to swap three hostages held by Somali pirates with 23 prisoners accused of piracy was halted by Somali authorities who say they were not informed of the plan, officials said Monday. It appeared to be the first attempt to exchange hostages for prisoners in Somalia's multimillion-dollar pirate industry.

July 18th, 2009 Somali insurgent group to try French hostagesNAIROBI, Kenya — Two French security advisers being held hostage in Somalia will soon be tried under Islamic law for alleged spying and "conspiracy against Islam," a senior member of a rebel group holding the men said Saturday. The official with the insurgent group al-Shabab said no date had been set for the trial.

July 18th, 2009 Official: 3 aid workers kidnapped in KenyaNAIROBI, Kenya — Gunmen have seized three foreign aid workers in northern Kenya and taken them across the border into Somalia, a security official said Saturday. Roughly 10 gunmen arrived late Friday night at a house in the border town of Mandera where the workers were staying, shot the watchman in the head and kidnapped the three, the official said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

July 18th, 2009 Official: 3 aide workers kidnapped in KenyaNAIROBI, Kenya — Gunmen have seized three foreign aid workers in northern Kenya and taken them across the border into Somalia, a security official said Saturday. Roughly 10 gunmen arrived late on Friday night at a house in the border town of Mandera where the workers were staying, shot the watchman in the head and kidnapped the three, the official said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

July 15th, 2009 Somalia reports arrests in French advisers' kidnapMOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali authorities have arrested suspects in the kidnapping of two French security advisers in the Somali capital, Somalia's defense minister told French radio Wednesday. Defense Minister Mohamed Abdi Ghandi said on RFI radio that troops also have gone to areas where the hostages might be.

July 15th, 2009 Somali DM: Arrests made in French advisers kidnapMOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia's defense minister tells French radio that authorities have arrested suspects in the kidnapping of two French security advisers in the Somali capital. Defense Minister Mohamed Abdi Ghandi said on France's RFI radio Wednesday that troops also have gone to areas where the hostages might be.

July 14th, 2009 2 French security advisers seized at Somali hotelNAIROBI, Kenya — Two French security advisers on a mission to train Somali forces were kidnapped Tuesday at a hotel where they had checked in as journalists, officials and witnesses said. About 10 gunmen arrived at the Sahafi Hotel in a small car and a pickup truck mounted with machine guns before several of the men disarmed the guards and stormed inside, said Abdi Mohamed Ahmed, a witness who runs a tea shop nearby.

July 14th, 2009 2 French men seized in SomaliaNAIROBI, Kenya — Gunmen stormed into a hotel in the Somali capital on Tuesday and kidnapped two French security advisers on a mission to train Somali forces, officials said. The gunmen went from room to room at the Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu looking for the French men, said hotel manager Mohamed Hassan Gafaa.

July 11th, 2009 MOGADISHU - At least 15 people, including the security head of Mogadishu, were killed and 43 others injured in clashes between the security forces and Islamic militants in the Somali capital Saturday, officials said. Nur Hassan Ali, in charge of Mogadishu security, was killed in one of the battles between Somali government forces and militants in the Abdelaziz district here, an official said.

April 15th, 2009 LONDON - Somali pirates have attacked another US merchant ship off the coast of Somalia using rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. The pirates damaged the Liberty Sun, which was carrying a cargo of food aid, but were not able to board it, reports the BBC.

January 4th, 2009 BOSASSO - A Spanish and a British journalist have been freed after almost six weeks in captivity in Somalia's volatile Puntland state, EFE reported. Spanish photographer Jose Cendon and British journalist Colin Freeman were released Sunday morning by their kidnappers in northern Somalia, an official said, adding that the journalists returned to their International Village Hotel here.

January 4th, 2009 PARIS - A French warship Sunday foiled attacks by Somali pirates on two commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden, the French president's office said. Patrolling off the Somali coast, the French warship 'Jean de Vienne' captured 19 Somali pirates when they tried to seize a Croatian freighter and a Panamanian cargo ship.