Somali pirates have reportedly hijacked at least 11 commercial boats bound for war-torn Somalia over the last 2 days.

Somali traders reported that the eleven Mogadishu and Kismayo-bound commercial boats were seized in the last two days off Somali waters by the pirates.

A representative for the traders told Garowe Online that the boats were en route from Dubai with goods bound for the war-torn country.

"The first day they seized 3 boats, the second day 4, and the third day 4 others, all of them were en route from UAE to Somalia," said the trader who requested not to be named.

"We have reached a decision that if they refuse to release the boats we will confiscate all their wealths including houses in the mainland," he added.

It is the first time for the pirates to hijack Somalia-bound ships that are carrying goods for the traders in the war-torn country.

Meanwhile, pirates on Monday hijacked a Panamanian-flagged merchant vessel and its 24 crew members off the coast of Yemen , NATO's counter piracy operation reported.

The 4,500-tonne vessel Iceberg with the crew consisting of Yemeni, Filipino, Pakistani, Ghanaian, Indian and Sudanese was seized just 10 nautical miles from the port of Aden while heading to United Arab Emirates (UAE). The vessel is owned by Iceberg International Ltd, the anti-piracy mission added.

The European Union Naval Force NAVFOR, which also operate anti-piracy mission Operation Atlanta, confirmed the hijacking and said that the vessel was carrying a mixed cargo of general mechanical equipment.

Somalia-based pirates have widen their targets, launching attacks on commercial vessels as far as Oman waters.

GAROWE ONLINE