Fighters of the Islamist Hezbul Islam group have peacefully taken over a pirate stronghold in central Somalia.

Pirate gangs based in Harard-heere town, have fled to the outskirts.

The heavily-armed Islamists have closed-in on central Somalia's region of Mudug. Residents, said that Islamist fighters took up an important position in the town, as they consolidated their hold of the area.