2 aid workers held in Somalia
10/05/2007 11:50  - (SA)  

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Nairobi - Gunmen have captured two aid workers - one Briton and one Kenyan - in Somalia's breakaway northern Puntland region, a maritime official told AFP on Thursday.

"We do not know the exact date of their capture," said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenyan branch of the international Seafarers Assistance Programme.

The pair worked for CARE International, and were being detained around 120km southeast of Bossaso, capital of the semi-autonomous region, he said.

The aid agency confirmed that the pair had been missing since Wednesday.

"We are working with the local authorities to secure their safe release," said spokesperson Beatrice Spadacini in Nairobi.

Mwangura said the two aid workers had been captured in a bid to obtain the release of three Finnish fishing boats, seized along with nine traditional dhow boats off the Puntland coast last week.

"They are detaining them as a bargaining chip," Mwangura said.

Pirates were initially blamed for the capture of the three Finnish fishing vessels, but Mwangura said on Thursday that they had been grabbed by coastguards and were being held by Puntland authorities for carrying out illegal fishing.

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