Ships moved: insurgents storm into Xarardheere

Dozens of insurgents stormed into Xarardheere, a pirate cove on the central Somali coast, around noon, May 1, but instead of putting up a fight, the pirates sped off. The pirates of Xarardheere currently hold several hijacked ships. But before they fled, they sent the ships further out to sea to prevent Islamist insurgents from capturing their hostages . Hizbul Islam and the Shabab desperately need money, the situation may be changing. The insurgents’ draconian rules banning music, television and bras have steadily alienated much of Somali society, making it harder for the insurgents to raise money and find recruits. Additionally, Hizbul Islam lost access to hundreds of thousands of dollars in port taxes when they were kicked out of Kismayu last year and may have needed to find a new source of cash.

Hobyo: pirates may be in double envelopment

Pirates recently captured a boat loaded with weapons from Yemen that were intended for the militia, and had stopped paying bribes to the Islamists. who are said to be in Harardhere as the pirates move to Hobyo. The remote pirate stronghold of Hobyo in the Galmudug region of central Somalia fell to Islamist militants before in December 2008. Meanwhile, Dutch sailors are blockading that coast, Captain Ben Bekkering, “The arrival of the HNLMS Johan de Witt, which unlike the other navy ships has landing craft, means we can use different tactics. Instead of waiting in the ocean for pirates to try their luck, we go to near the ports of Haradheere and Hobyo where they come from to prevent them from sailing out. If they try anyway, we capture them.” The captain says the navy ship will stay in position off the Somali coast to “keep the pressure on”. The pirates who were captured have been released on the beaches.
>>>What if... the militia/Islamists were convinced/paid to advance now? By Saudis?, or from Dubai?