The French army has freed two sailors seized by pirates off the Somali coast, the French presidency says.
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The two were seized in a sailing boat in the Gulf of Aden earlier this month by pirates who reportedly demanded a ransom of some $1.4m.
The Somali waters are among the most dangerous in the world. Attacks by pirates are common and hamper the delivery of food aid.
A French government statement said that President Nicolas Sarkozy had given the go-ahead for the operation late on Monday.
"The two French nationals are safe and sound," the statement said.
Warships from France and other nations have been patrolling the Somali coast to protect ships carrying aid to the country, where up to a third of the population needs food aid.
France has a military base in neighbouring Djibouti.
In April, French commandos made six arrests in a helicopter raid on Somali pirates after they had been paid a ransom to free the crew of another French yacht.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991.
(BBC)
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