BOSASO,(insidesomalia.org)- The French troops at the Indian Ocean have transferred nine pirates men on Thursday they captured in the last four days to Puntland semiautonomous according to minister.

The state minister of Puntland Abdi Qadir Yusuf told Shabelle that the French troops have dropped a line to them to transfer the pirates to them.

“We received nice (criminal) pirates from French navy forces today and we will put them on trial soon” Mr. Yusuf said.

The nine Somalis will be questioned at Puntland police headquarters.

French commandos chase and detain Somali 'pirates'

French authorities are said to consider the piracy a criminal one rather than one linked to terrorism.

The suspected pirates are believed to be fishermen and were detained in the Gulf of Aden as reports from Puntland say.

France has troops in nearby Djibouti and also participates in a multi-national naval force that patrols this part of the Indian Ocean.

Somali coastal waters are known to be among the most hazardous in the world. More than 25 ships were seized there by pirates in 2007.

Somalia has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years and is plagued by insecurity.