ROME: The Italian Foreign Ministry says 10 Italians have been freed by Somali pirates after four months of captivity.

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told media on Monday that the captives were released Sunday as a result of negotiations led by the Somali government and local authorities.

Frattini said that the pirates eventually understood that they had no choice but to withdraw. Officials denied that a ransom was paid.

The Italian-flagged Buccaneer tug was seized April 11 in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden. A ministry statement did not mention six others on board when the tug was seized. They are five Romanians and one Croat.LINK