The outstanding Iranian Sunni scholar has asked the Iranian foreign minister and Somalian president asking them to make their efforts to release the Iranian Baloch sailors captured by some pirates of Somalia.
The official website of Shaikh Abdol-Hamid, Khateeb and Friday Imam of Sunnis in Zahedan city reported that he had written two different letters to Mohammad Jawad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister and Hassan Shaikh Mahmoud, the president of Somalia.
The rector of Darululoom Zahedan has expressed his deep sorrow on the demise of 8 captured fishermen due to bad condition of health and feeding. He asked the addressees to do what they can for saving the lives of the rest of 8 hostages.
In a part of the letter to the president of Somali has been stated, “More than 20 months have been passed from the captivity of these hostages; their families and relatives have been in a state of anxiety and unrest. They have no any bread-winner but those who have been captured for ransom.”
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid addressed the president of Somalia, “I’d like to request you to issue an order for following up this case seriously in order to save the lives of the rest of hostages.”
In his letter to the Iranian foreign minister, the eminent Islamic scholar said, “As safekeeping of citizens is one the important responsibilities of foreign ministry in any country, we ask the foreign minister strongly to struggle for the release of the captive sailors.”
Alluding to broken diplomatic relations of Iran and Somalia, Mawlana Abdol-Hamid said, “In view of the fact that Iran and Somalia have no diplomatic relations, follow up of this case through any third country can resolve the trouble.”
21 sailors and fishermen from the Iranian Baloch Sunni community left their hometown, Konarak in Sistan-Baluchistan province about two years ago for fishing in the international waters.
They belong to poor families and earn their livings by fishing. But while returning home they were captured in March 2015 by some pirates who have the nationality of Somalia.
According to the confirmed reports, the hostages have been in a very pitiable condition as 8 of them have lost their lives due to bad health condition and lack of feed. 5 could flee and 8 others are still in the hands of the pirates.
Source: sunnionline.us & abdolhamid.net