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Global

Somali pirates free UAE-owned cargo ship -trader


    MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali pirates have freed a United Arab Emirates-owned cargo ship after negotiations with businessmen in the anarchic country's capital, one businessman said on Thursday.

    "The negotiation ended last night and the ship was freed today," Ali Dheere, the chairman of Mogadishu's general merchanside traders, told Reuters. "We are afraid pirates will recapture it."

    He refused to comment on whether a ransom had been paid.

    A maritime expert told Reuters last week he believed the ship is one of the regular weapon carriers to Somalia which is under a U.N. arms embargo. He said it was using the fake name Al Mizan.

    Dheere said the ship had been carrying commercial goods when it was seized last week.

    (Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by Helen Nyambura-Mwaura; Editing by Louise Ireland)