GAROWE, Somalia, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Somali pirates have freed a Yemeni cargo ship they seized last week after successful negotiations between regional authorities, local clan elders and the gunmen, a local official said on Wednesday.

"The Yemeni ship was released last night after long discussions between the Puntland authorities, elders and the pirates," Ali Abdi Aware, state minister of Somalia's northern province of Puntland, told Reuters.

"The ship left Eyl and it is heading to Yemen. The crew are safe and no ransom was paid." (Reporting by Abdiqani Hassan)

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