MOGADISHU, insidesoamlia.org)- A Somali official says a ship carrying cement to the East Africa country has been hijacked, after NATO joined a growing international force to protect vessels off the perilous coast.

Ali Abdi Aware, foreign minister of the semiautonomous region of Puntland, says the ship was hijacked late Thursday and its crew is believed to be Syrian and Somali.

NATO said Thursday it would send seven ships to the treacherous waters where pirates are negotiating the release of the MV Faina, a Ukrainian ship hijacked two weeks ago.

Pirates have seized more than two dozen ships off Somalia's coast this year but the MV Faina has drawn the most international concern because of its dangerous cargo 33 tanks and other heavy weapons.