The United Nations-sponsored ICG “strongly condemns Al-Shabab's attacks on Dhobley and Garbaharey (near Somalia's southern border)... and calls on Al-Shabab and all forces to renounce violence and join the peace process,” the meeting of 20 nations and 10 regional organizations said in a final statement after a two-day meeting.

The meeting, the ICG's 20th, expressed “grave concern” at the continued attacks by the rebels recently expelled from Mogadishu.

It also called “on international partners to continue contributing to lifesaving activities” for the some four million Somalis who have been hit by famine and 750,000 who could die, according to UN numbers.

The ICG is a group designed to further reconciliation in lawless Somalia and monitor the activities of a Transitional National Government (TNG), whose mandate officially ends in August 2012.

The final statement from the meeting, chaired by UN Special Representative Augustine Mahiga, made it clear that continued international support for the transitional government was contingent on compliance with already stated goals.

It said that efforts should be accelerated to complete and adopt a constitution for Somalia in order to end transition to a normal state function “in a timely and legitimate manner.”

At the same time, the group called for “negative consequences in the event of non-compliance.”

The group also addressed the problem of piracy off Somalia's shores.

“A solution to piracy requires a comprehensive approach which addresses the political, security, socio-economic root causes in Somalia and the protection of maritime resources,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Somali pirates have freed a Greek-owned bulk carrier held off the Horn of Africa coast for seven months after a multi-million dollar ransom was air-dropped to secure its release, a pirate source and local maritime expert said on Friday.

“We have received a $3.5 million ransom and abandoned the ship,” a pirate who identified himself as Hussein told Reuters by telephone from the coastal village of Ras Bina.

Pirates hijacked the Panamanian-flagged MV Dover in late February about 260 nautical miles north east of Salalah in Oman, taking the 23-strong crew hostage.

“The MV Dover is free. She is currently steaming out to safe waters,” confirmed Andrew Mwangura, maritime editor of the Somalia Report and a former regional maritime official.

Mwangura said there was no immediate word on the crew's well-being.

Somali pirates in the past have typically not harmed crew members during ransom negotiations with ship owners, but shipping companies say the armed gangs are becoming increasingly violent.

The lawless nation has been mired in violence and awash with weapons since the overthrow of a dictator two decades ago, allowing piracy to flourish off the lawless nation's shores.

Preying on merchant vessels and pleasure boats, the pirates rake in tens of millions of dollars a year in ransoms.