Danish troops kill four pirates off Nigeria

A Danish frigate has killed four pirates in waters south of Nigeria in an operation to protect shipping in the Gulf of Guinea, the Danish military said on Thursday. The Esbern Snare, sent last month to the Gulf of Guinea amid heightened security risks from pirates, on Wednesday spotted a fast-moving vessel carrying eight suspected pirates near a number of commercial ships, the Danish military said. The incident took place in international waters, 25 to 30 nautical miles south of Nigeria’s territorial boundary, a spokesman said. After the frigate fired warning shots, the pirates opened fire on Danish special forces, who shot and killed four pirates and wounded one.