Somali pirates abandoned one of their main bases in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region fearing local security forces were poised to rout them, pirates and residents of Garad said on Wednesday.
A lack of effective central government in the Horn of Africa nation has allowed piracy to flourish offshore and deep into the Indian Ocean despite a flotilla of international warships patrolling the strategic waters.
Pirate bosses have enjoyed a celebrity-like status in past years, driving expensive 4X4s and living in upscale villas, but their excesses have turned many locals against them.
"Residents and the Puntland administration forced the pirates to vacate the shores of Garad district," businessman Abdikadir Yusuf Ali told Reuters.
"Now, there is not a single ship anchored off the shores of the district. All 13 ships that were here have been relocated to Hobyo and El-Dhanane which is only 30km from here. Not only have they gone with their ships but also with their luxury cars," he added.
Mohamed Ahmed Alim, the top official in Galmadug region, confirmed the pirates had arrived in his territory.
"They're recycling their bases and this is part of their security tactics. But the move will only be temporary, they'll return to Garad," said Andrew Mwangura, head of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme.
Pirates said they took off after residents dropped leaflets carrying an ultimatum: leave or face a fight.
"Puntland forces were prepared to attack our base and residents had also turned against us," a pirate who identified himself as Mire told Reuters after arriving in Hobyo from Garad.
Somali pirates have caused havoc in the shipping lanes in the region, holding dozens of vessels and hundreds of mariners for months at a time.
The pirates have been making tens of millions of dollars in ransoms from seized ships, including tankers and dry bulkers, in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, despite the efforts of foreign navies to clamp down on such attacks.
