MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia's military has rescued 8 Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, said an official.

The sailors of a ship hijacked last week were rescued after regional forces surrounded their pirate captors in a small village outside Hobyo town, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali, the mayor of Hobyo, told The Associated Press.

Four pirates were also arrested during the operation, he said. All the Indian crew members have now been rescued as two were freed earlier, he said. Ten crew members were taken captive, not 11 as initially announced by officials, he said.

Pirates made the captive crew members walk long distances in the bush for days to avoid troops that were chasing them.

"They are exhausted and hungry because of that long ordeal," the mayor said.