On March 8, the last batch of 120 Somali pirates was released from India after they were arrested and languished in jail for seven years.
What happened?
The released pirates landed at Mogadishu international airport after serving jail for seven years for piracy offences. The pirates were captured by the Indian navy off the Somali coast.
Emotional welcome
The Somali men received a warm welcome from Mahdi Mohamed Guled Khadar, Deputy prime minister, and other government officials. All the men kneeled to kiss Somali soil as they got off the plane.
Agreement signed
The release incident comes after an agreement was signed in August last year between India and Somalia to transfer convicted pirates.
Earlier in January, the Indian government released the first batch of 41 Somali pirates; some of them have completed their jail terms. Furthermore, two Somali prisoners died in Indian custody since being captured seven years ago. The men died from diseases including tuberculosis due to the lack of healthcare.
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Source: Middle East Monitor
