Residents of central Somali village of Bahdo in Galgudud, some 125-miles northeast of the notorious pirate haven of Haradheere, have reportedly clashed with Somali pirates holding a UK couple.

The residents were angered by the pirates’ decision to hold the hostages in their locality, prompting them to take arms against the sea gangs.

According to locals, the villagers urged the pirates to leave the area but they refused, leading to eruption of an all out war between the armed residents and pirates in which three people, two of them pirates are reportedly killed.

“We can’t allow our town to be used as hideout where hostages are kept. We defeated the pirates and they fled the area, taking with them the two hostages,” said the village’s administrator.

The two Brits, Paul Chandler 58 and his wife Rachel 55 were on board their small Yacht, Lynn Rival when they were kidnapped by Somali pirates in the early hours of 23 October and taken to Somali coast.

The pirates earlier demanded a ransom payment of £4.2 million ($7million) but reduced their demand to £100,000, which the UK government has since declined to meet.

GAROWE ONLINE