Further arrests against Somali Journalists made by Al-shabab

Reliable sources from southern districts of Bardhere and Bulo-Hawo in Gedo region in Somalia say that two Somali journalists working for two Mogadishu based stations Hornafrika and Shabelle have been put behind bars on Wednesday under the order of Al-shabab authorities in the two towns.

The arrested Journalists namely Ahmed Omar Salihi who is the director of Markebley station in Bardhere town and Shabelle station’s reporter inGedo region as well as Mohamed Abdihakiim who was working for Mandeeq Radio in Bul-hawo, being Hornafrik reporter in Gedo region.

The two journalists were arrested on charges of an interview they had with a Somali traditional elder in Gedo region. In the interview which stations had aired, a traditional elder complained about the harassment of Kenyan forces at the border and sent a vast request to the Somali and Kenyan governments to have ways to meet the border problems. The interview prompted Al-shabab leaders on the ground to have caled and arrested Ahmed Omar Salihi with the journalist Mohamed Abdihakiim who conducted the interview with the suffering elder.

The elders in the two towns are engaged in talks with Al-shabab agents on the ground in a part of continuing efforts to release the journalists behind the bars.

The call of the traditional leader arrested by Al-shabab coincided with a time Somali government headed by Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed has presence at Somali Kenya border.

A similar arrest was made on Tuesday against Somaliwayn media house’s reporter, Mohamed Salad Abdule in Kismayo. After a receipt of call, lMohamed Salad Abdulle went Kismayo police station to meet city’s security chief who demanded the meeting with the journalist. Soon after he reached the station, the somaliwayn station’s kismayo reporter was put in the custody charging with a report he sent from Kismayo about a secret meeting held in Kismayo between Alshabab and Hizbul Islam.

There is no an official word from Alshabab authorities on the cause of the arrest of Journalists working for Mogadishu based Hornafrik ,Shabelle and somaliwayn stations in kismayo and Gedo Region.

By Nur Hirsi Abdi

Tallmog@hotmail.com

Nairobi,Kenya

www.umadanews.com

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