The Mayor of Bender Beyla town in Karkaar region has vowed that his administration will take every necessary step to get the kidnapped Danish family and their crew released in the best possible manner and time.

In an interview with Somalia Report, Mayor Said Adan Ali said they already had some measures in place to convince the pirates to immediately set free the family, however, he did not rule out that aggressive measures could be taken if the pirates do not heed the local and international calls to unconditionally release the hostages.

“We will take every possible and concrete step to free the hostages. Negotiations are taking place. I will not rule anything out at this time, it is a different situation given that these people are just innocent folks whose objective was to sail around the world. They did not know they will one day fall into the hands of pirates,” the mayor said.

“It is our responsibility to show the international community that we are not happy with what our young boys are doing in holding innocent children and their elderly parents hostages on our soil,” he added.

The warning of the mayor follows a botched rescue attempt last week by forces from the semiautonomous region of Puntland.

The mayor has confirmed to Somalia report that the hostages are in good condition under the harsh circumstances but their fate remains to be seen.

On Wednesday, a statement by Danish government said it had established contact with the Somali pirates and the hostages. A professional security firm has been handling negotiations with the pirates.

Maritime experts said the Danish family and their crew placed themselves in danger by sailing near Somalia’s lawless coast and defying warnings from international naval forces.

In recent days, Puntland elders called for the release of the Danes while locals in Mudug region held protests against the pirates.

Eyl, one of the most import bases for the Somali pirates, some call it Somalia’s modern day pirate capital. Hidden between rocky hills in the mountainous part of the Nugal region and overlooking the Indian Ocean, Eyl in some experts view is the perfect pirates’ hideout, this town has been vital for the pirates since they have emerged from the anarchy-stricken nation of Somalia some few years ago.

Pirates have used Eyl to launch their attacks on international ships and vessels transiting through both the Indian Ocean and the red sea.

Recently the residents of the town have tried to approach the pirates in a different way after the town’s fishermen complained about increase losses to their boats as a result of the international naval forces fierce battles with the pirates.

Said Ahmed Yonis, a fisherman for 15 years in Godey neighborhood in Eyl district has described his plight.

“I no longer go fishing due to the increased number of foreign ships in the sea, it is too risky for us to go out there and fish. We fear that we may be mistaken as pirates and then get killed.” he said.

“It is not only the naval forces that we are afraid of but the pirates themselves; they sometimes take our boats by force to use them in hijacking.” He adds.

He also laments the other negative impact the piracy has had on the town

“They have introduced alcohol, massive inflation and commercial sex to the town, and that was not known to us before, we need to change the way we deal with them.” He recalls

One of the Muslim clerics in the town who asked for anonymity also spoke out. “We hate the pirates, their actions go against the Islamic teachings, but what can we do, even the international naval forces with all their warships have not been able to tackle them.” It now seems the overwhelming support the pirates have been receiving from Eyl residents is now dying out.

Pirates made millions of dollars in ransom money out of hijacked vessels and ships in the Somalia’s lawless coast and in some cases international waters.

Witnesses told Somalia Report a remote-controlled roadside bomb targeted the attorney together with other officials from Puntland while they were heading to assess recently trained forces in a camp called ‘Xero Galey’ in Galkacyo district.

Mohamud Hassan Aw Osman, the Attorney General who spoke to the media moments after the attack was carried out, confirmed that he was not harmed in attack but one of his guards was injured and is being treated in the General Hospital of the city.

Witnesses said the attack took place midday local time.

No group has claimed the responsibility for the failed suicide attack on one of the highest ranking Puntland officials; one person has been arrested in connection with the attack so far, officials confirmed to Somalia Report.

Insecurity and violence in parts of Puntland, particularly in Galkayo, have reportedly been rampant in the last few months with several other government officals who have also been targeted or assassinated.

A report released by the Office of Iranian Naval Forces confirmed that preparations to send the forces are in place and the navy will be heading to Somalia soon. The office has also said its navy will carry out ‘a special operation’ which will last 60 days.

The purpose of the deployment is for the Iranian Navy to escort Iranian owned commercial ships transiting through Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, in addition to the 'operation' (exercise).

A spokesperson for the Iranian Navy said that it is likely Iran will take an active role in the wider international fight against piracy. This recent operation will not be its first; the Iranian Navy has been performing anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008.

Pirates are currently holding several Iranian-flagged fishing and commercial ships and their crews.

Other reports, however, claim the hostages have been put about the MV Dover, a hijacked vessel. Somalia Report is trying to confirm.

The Mayor of Bender Beyla district, Said Adan Elmi, who spoke to the local media while in Bender Beyla confirmed that pirates have moved their hostages from the town and headed to Bar Gal. Bar Gal is not a welcome place for pirates as Somalia Report previously detailed.

The mayor insisted that their departure comes after his administration gave the pirates an ultimatum to 'leave or pay the consequences.' He also said that the locals living in the villages along the coastal area were ordered not to sell their goods to the pirates, which contributed to the pirates leaving.

"We told them we will not tolerate their actions, and they have left today and went to Bar Gal," he said.

The mayor has once again hinted that negotiations with the pirates to release the family are underway but could not give further details of who is conducting it and how far it has reached.

His speech comes just hours after reports from Puntland said that negotiations have broken down.

Puntland recently deployed some of its troops to the town in order to keep an eye on the pirates. According to the mayor this show of force has prevented the pirates from setting foot on shore and eventually led to their departure saying the pirates. The mayor believes that the pirates weighed the risks and decided the Puntland and local administration of Bender Beyla were more dangerous then the threat they could face from the locals of Bar Gal.

Somali pirates have been holding the Johansson couple, their three children, and two crew members since earlier this month after they seized their 43-foot sailboat.