The militant Somali group of Alshabaab has established two pirate-units on the start of April 2008, sources in their ranks told Waagacusub.
The sources say senior officials in the Alshabaab held a meeting in Bakara market where they appointed some young militants to be pirates to search out payoff to continue fighting in Somalia.
“We sent 30 Mujahidiin fighters with their boat to Hobyo to seize ships” Alshabaab official told Waagacusub by phone from Mogadishu’s Suqaholaha area.
He says one of their groups hijacked a ship but he didn’t reveal the ship’s name and the country belongs to it.
Alshabaab has already demanded to be given some of the weapons aboard a hijacked Ukrainian ship carrying 33 tanks but the pirates holding it have refused, a local official has said before the ship was freed.
Al-Shabaab fighters have driven Somali pirates out of the port of Hobyo, used by the pirates as a safe haven for harboring hijacked ships.
Late on Sunday, The fighters raided the port town with heavy guns forcing out the local militiamen who fought for the pirates, Waagacusub reporter in Hobyo said.
There have been no reports on the casualties.
Residents confirmed fears that ransom payments to pirates were being passed onto the Islamist movement and were
fuelling the insurgency against President Sheikh Sharif's government.
The fighters, who are affiliated to the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), advanced towards the area following the November 15 capture of the giant Saudi-operated oil tanker, the Sirius Star which was later freed.
At least 18 ships are being held by Somali pirates who hold more than 250 crewmen hostage.
The well-armed international forces present in the area have only been able to deter a number of attacks.
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