EYL, Somalia Oct 14 (Garowe Online) - The mayor of a coastal town renowned as a pirate hub has strongly criticized top leaders in the government of Puntland, a regional autonomy in northern Somalia.

Abdullahi Said O'Yusuf, the mayor of Eyl, told Radio Garowe during a Monday interview that the pirate gang who hijacked a Somalia-bound vessel last week is "the same gang" responsible for past pirate attacks.

"Some of the pirate leaders used to live here [in Eyl]," he said, adding that the hijacking of a ship loaded with goods belonging to a Somali company "was expected."

Abdullahi Said O'Yusuf, Mayor of Eyl

The mayor openly criticized and blamed the government of Puntland President Adde Muse for the unprecedented surge in pirate attacks along the Puntland coast this year.

"We [local government] are not to blame, because we are the only ones doing work. Now, we are attempting to bring traditional elders to Eyl," the mayor said, adding: "The people have reached a level of self-sufficiency after giving up on the government."

He described the Puntland administration's failure to hire five police officers to help secure Eyl months ago, "before our town became a pirate base," the mayor added.

"I brought 16 local police officers to be hired, but the [Puntland] Ministry of Finance refused to pay them," the mayor of Eyl told Radio Garowe.

He rejected criticism from Puntland government officials that local officials have ties to the pirates.

"The pirates have connections with the men who protect them in big cities after they [pirates] collect ransom," Mayor O'Yusuf said, saying Puntland ministers and even police commanders have direct links with the pirates.

"Where is Mohamed Haji Aden now?" mayor said, referring to the region's deputy police chief who was sacked last week. [ READ: Puntland leader sacks deputy police chief]

False claim?

Reports from confidential sources in Puntland tell Garowe Online that the government's claim of killing two pirates during an unsuccessful raid on the Somalia-bound ship is "untrue."

Puntland government adviser Ali Abdi Aware claimed to reporters yesterday that Puntland soldiers killed two pirates in a failed attack to recapture the ship from the pirates. [ READ: Pirate-held ship raided, 4 kidnappers sentenced in Puntland]

But sources privy to the affair tell Garowe Online that no pirates were killed during the failed military operation.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports say that the ship's raiders were not Puntland soldiers as government officials claim but were "mercenaries" hired by Somali merchants.

Source: Garowe Online