Somali forces, foreign navies preparing raid to free hostages

Somali police and international navies are preparing to raid the Bangladeshi-flagged commercial ship, MV Abdullah, to free 23 hostages. 

Somali police said this in the Puntland region on Monday.

MV Abdullah was hijacked with 23 Bangladeshi crew members on board by armed Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean last Tuesday afternoon.

The development comes two days after Indian commandos recaptured another cargo vessel, the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen, which had been seized in December, freeing its 17 crew members and arresting 35 pirates.

The police force from the semi-autonomous region of Puntland of Somalia, a base for many pirate gangs, said it was on high alert and prepared to participate in an operation against the pirates holding the MV Abdullah.