It's yet unknown the agency that the hostages were working for. While aid workers were taken from Kenya they were taken across the border by armed gunmen. Elwaq is unders Islamists administration as no comments could be reached from them on this kidnapping incident.

Armed Somali gangs have carried out scores of kidnappings in recent months, often targeting foreigners or Somalis working with international organisations to demand ransoms. Somalia has been plagued by chaos since the overthrow of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

The weak central government has been unable to suppress the brutal insurgency that has gripped the country since early 2007 and has also failed to curb rampant piracy off the coastline. Since last year, thousands of civilians have died and hundreds of thousands displaced in guerilla war pitting invading Ethiopian troops against Islamist insurgents, accused of ties to Al-Qaeda.

Kidnappings and violence have disrupted aid operations in Somalia, where at least 3.2 million people are facing food shortages and several thousand need medical treatment for battle wounds and other ailments. Over a dozen ships are in the hands of pirates seeking ransom. Ethnic Somali rebels are also battling Ethiopian government in Ogaden region.

Abdinasir Mohamed Guled

Shabelle Media Network