Around the World: Somalia

Troops raid hijacked ship

Somali forces raided one of the many ships hijacked off the country's coast yesterday as a deadline loomed in a standoff aboard another, arms-laden vessel, officials said.

Troops in northern Somalia's semiautonomous Puntland region unsuccessfully tried to take back a ship that was hijacked by pirates on Thursday, said Ali Abdi Aware, Puntland's foreign minister. He said two pirates were killed. The vessel, which carrying cement, is believed to have Syrian and Somali crew on board.