MOGADISHU, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Islamist rebels in control of the southern port city of Kismayu Wednesday pledged they will fight piracy off the coast of the southern Somali regions where a Chinese fishing vessel was hijacked this week.

    The Islamist Al-Shabaab group's media chief, Sheik Hassan YakubAli, said that the group will secure the sea off the southern part of the country saying they will form a task force to protect shipsheading to the area.

    The group, listed by Washington as a terrorist organization, has been in control of the port city of Kismayu, the provincial capital of Lower Jubba province in southern Somalia, 500 km south of Mogadishu.

    "We will fight piracy and eradicate it from our seas. All ships carrying goods for our people should be safe," Sheik Ali told reporters.

    The Islamist movement, which has been opposed to the peace deal between another major faction and the Somali government, has recently been capturing fast expanse of new territories to the south of Mogadishu, the Somali capital.