Somali pirates and islamic militia groups are struggling for control of British hostages Paul and Rachel Chandler who were taken hostage last week as they were sailing to Tanzania. As the Somalis fight over the British couple, they have lowered their ransom demands.

Somali pirates are continuing to wreck havoc on the seas along the coasts of Somalia. British couple Paul Chandler, 59-years-old, and his wife Rachel Chandler, 55-years-old, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom, were taken hostage on October 23, 2009. They were taken from their yacht, the Lynn Rival, as they were sailing from the Seychelles towards Tanzania. The pirates demanded about $7 million and the release of seven Somali pirates who were captured while attempting to take a French ship last week. The pirates claim that the $7 million (£4.2 million) is to cover the cost of damage caused by NATO troops.

In an interesting turn of events, both rival pirates and local militia groups have taken up arms against the pirates holding the British couple. Local elders have stated that they are trying to prevent the pirates from delivering the couple to extremist islamic groups.

“We did not want the pirates to use our territory to hold hostages or hand them over to another group. We took up arms with the help of (the moderate Islamic group) Ahlu Sunna Waljama and opposed” the other group, said Hussein Mohamed Kahiye, a clan elder in the central Somali village of Bahdo.

Kahiye said the Somali elders had refused the pirates permission to bring the British couple ashore. However, there are reports that Islamic extremist are moving into the area in an attempt to take control of the couple.

Meanwhile, the British government has refused to pay the $7 million ransom for the couple and the pirates have lowered the ransom to about $150,000. British officials have stated that the pirates are aware that the Chandlers are not a wealthy couple and are lowering their demands accordingly.

There is a report that the couple is being held at sea aboard a hijacked Spanish ship and has been traveling throughout coastal areas in minibuses and all-terrain vehicles. There are conflicting stories that the couple have been taken inland to the town of Bahdo, noweast of Haradheere. Bahdo is known to be a haven for pirates.

Paul and Rachel Chandler have been allowed to talk with media and family members periodically. They talked with Rachel’s brother, Stephen Collett, and told him that they were physically fine and that the pirates were ‘hospitable people’ and had assured them they were not in danger.

It is being reported that Paul and Rachel Chandler have not been injured as Somalis fight over the British couple.