Mogadishu (Sunatimes) Traditional elders in areas along the coastal strips of Somalia’s Bari region are worried of increasing presence of pirates in the areas.

The elders say large numbers pirates are now flocking into various settlements along the coastal line after authorities in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland waged full scale operations on pirates, which is now much felt in areas like Bosaso, Garowe and Galkayo.

A mass exodus of fleeing pirates are now witnessed in area where pirates are holding kidnapped cargo vessels, thus forcing locals  to raise eyebrows  in fear of pirates easily luring their youth into piracy.

Reliable sources from coastal areas between Bargal and Hurdiyo in Bari region told Bar-kulan that elders from various parts of the pirate invested Bari’s coastal-strip are now meeting in a bid to curb increasing piracy in the area.

The pirates are now said to be holding a captive Danish family and their vessel in Rasu-bina settlement, near Bargal district.

By Siham Mohamud