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Somali forces raided one of the many ships hijacked off the country's coast Sunday as a deadline loomed in a standoff aboard another, arms-laden vessel, officials said.
Troops in northern Somalia's semiautonomous Puntland region unsuccessfully tried to take back a ship that was hijacked by pirates on Thursday, said Ali Abdi Aware, Puntland's foreign minister. He said two pirates were killed.
The vessel, which was carrying cement, is believed to have Syrian and Somali crew on board.
Sugule Ali, a spokesman for the pirates, said by satellite telephone that negotiations with the shipping company were continuing. Regarding the ransom, he said: "It is before Tuesday or never."