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Somali forces tried unsuccessfully to take back a ship hijacked off the country's coast as a deadline loomed in a standoff on board another, arms-laden vessel, officials said.
Troops in northern Somalia's semiautonomous Puntland region killed two pirates as they tried to take back the vessel, which is carrying cement and is believed to have Syrian and Somali crew on board.
Pirates on the Ukrainian MV Faina, which is carrying 33 tanks and other heavy weapons, continued to demand ransom money before releasing the ship and its 20 crew.
The pirates have threatened to destroy the vessel today or tomorrow unless the ship owners pay a ransom of up to US$20 million.
They have held the ship for more than two weeks.
