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Kenya says freed MV Faina to dock on Thursday

Other News Materials 10 February 2009 02:25 (UTC +04:00)

The Kenyan government said Monday that the Ukrainian ship which was freed by Somali pirates last week will dock in Mombasa on Thursday.

A statement from the Government Spokesman Office said the military cargo will thereafter be unloaded and transported to a military base.

"The ship ferrying Kenya weapons, MV Faina is not expected to dock in Mombasa until Thursday, February 12, 2009. Thereafter, the weapons will be unloaded and transported to a military base. Media will be allowed to cover the arrival and movement of the Kenyan arsenal," the statement said.

There has been international concern that the weapons could end up in the hands of terror groups such as al-Qaida. The Ukrainian government has come under pressure to explain the shipment.

About a dozen other vessels are believed to remain in captivity off Somalia's coast.

A number of warships from foreign navies have been there to monitor the situation, in part to ensure that the cargo of weaponry do not get into the hands of Somali insurgents.

The intended destination of the vessel's cargo has been the subject of much dispute.

Somali waters, considered to be among the most dangerous in the world, are now patrolled by a fleet of international naval warships which provide escorts to ships sailing along the coast.

Most attacks have been in the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and north Somalia, a major route leading to the Suez Canal linking Europe and Asia, Xinhua reported.

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