(SomaliNet) A minister in Somalia's breakaway Puntland region said Wednesday that Somali pirates have freed a Yemeni cargo ship captured 10 days ago. Deputy foreign minister Ali Abdi Aware said no ransom was paid for the released of the MV Arena late Tuesday.
"The ship has been released after week-long talks with the pirates and they agreed to free it without ransom," Aware said.
"The pirates who hijacked the ship came on-shore last night."
Pirates have ramped up attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean despite foreign naval patrols.
Somali pirates are holding a Saudi supertanker seized on November 15 and have demanded 25 million dollars for its release. It is carrying two million barrels of crude oil.