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Somali troops storm Dubai ship and arrest pirates


    BOSASSO, Somalia (Reuters) - Somali troops stormed a Dubai-flagged ship on Tuesday that had been hijacked by pirates off the Horn of Africa nation, releasing its crew and arresting the pirates, an official said.

    "Our troops stormed onto the Al-Khaleej and engaged thepirates. There was brief fighting before they defeated them,"Abdirizak Hared, the mayor of Bosasso port, told Reuters.

    The Al-Khaleej had been carrying food for sale in Somaliawhen it was raided by pirates seven km (four miles) off Bosassoon Monday.

    A surge in hijackings for ransom has made the waters offSomalia some of the world's most dangerous shipping zones.

    Over the weekend, pirates seized a Spanish tuna fishingvessel with 26 people aboard.

    (Reporting by Abdquani Hassan; Writing by Wangui Kanina)

    (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say onthe top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/)