Mogadishu, Somalia – National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) welcomes Ahlu Sunna waljama release of the two journalists arrested in the Somalia’s central town of Dhusomareb two days ago were illegally sentenced to three months in jail by the Sufi militia run local court. They were submitted to the central prison in the town but later released with the help of The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) on Thursday.

But after much contact with the Sufi Ahlu-Suna rulers in Dhusomareb, the NUSOJ officials succeeded in convincing the court judge that the charges against the journalists were baseless. They were released on Wednesday at 06:00 PM local time.

The journalists were arrested with false charges accusing them of a news coverage describing the Ahlu-Suna fighters as clan based militia bandits, but the case lacked any evidence.

The chairman of Ahlu-Suna Sheik Ibrahim Sheik Hassan Guureeye told NUSOJ that he will intervene in the case and correct the faults within the administration. Ibrahim has apologized over the journalists’ arrests and pledged for NUSOJ that this won’t happen. He also stated that those who were behind it will be brought before justice.

The man behind the reporters’ arrests – the chairman of the security board in Dhusomareb town -Farhan Sheik Ali has himself given an excuse over this order stating it was a mistake which became a misunderstanding.

Journalist Abdirahman Moalim Ahmed described their arrest as a violation of their freedom. They were beaten and tortured to confess to crimes that did not exist or with which they were not involved.

Militias loyal to the local Sufi militias, Ahlu Suna Wal-Jama raided the offices of the Radio Voice of Central Dhusamareb (Idaacadda Codka Bartamaha Dhusamareb) based in Dhusamareb on Tuesday morning around 6:20am local time, where they have seriously beaten and arrested Bashir Mohamed Salad Aka Bashir Sanka. Sanka contributes to both Dalsan Radio, a privately owned independent radio station based in Mogadishu, and Idacada Codka Bartamaha, an independent radio station based Dhusamareb. Abdi Jamal Moalim Ahmed, who is the correspondent of Radio Bar-Kulan, a UN Funded radio, was also beaten.

The Shabab, which is affiliated to Al-Qaeda, looted the Radio equipment twice after raiding the town and briefly taking it over. There have been similar fears within the residents after the Ahlu Sunna Waljama militias supported by the Ethiopian troops abandoned the town of Elbur, a strategic town in central Somalia this weekend.

On 5th June, 2012, The Deputy Security Chief of the town’s Security Committee, Mr. Nor Elmi Hoosagale threatened the journalists after the town’s people evacuated the town.

On June 8, 2012 Two unknown assailants armed with pistols shot Mohamed Noor Mohamed better known as Mohamed Sharif – reporter for the Bar-Kulan Radio – twice below the heart which penetrated the back and the stomach. The shooting occurred on Friday evening June 8, 2012 around 7:30pm local time near Horn Cable Television office in Hamarjajab neighborhood as he was returning from work. The attackers fled the area immediately, according to witnesses.

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New York, U.S.A. – A Somali radio journalist was shot by two gunmen in Mogadishu on Friday, according to news reports. Mohamed Nur Mohamed, who was hit twice in the abdomen, survived the attack, the reports said.

Mohamed, a correspondent for Radio Bar-Kulan, a U.N.-sponsored radio broadcaster with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, was walking home in the Hamarjajab neighborhood of the capital when the gunmen attacked him and then fled the scene. Local journalists told CPJ. Mohamed’s colleagues took him to a local hospital, where he is in stable condition, according to news reports. It is unclear if the attack was related to his work or something else.

Abdirahman Hussein, the news editor of Radio Bar-Kulan, told CPJ that Mohamed is considered one of Radio Bar-Kulan’s best correspondents because he covers dangerous parts of Mogadishu where other journalists fear to go. “He’s fearless-he brings reports that you were never expecting, risking his life, going from corner to corner in Mogadishu,” he said.

No one has taken responsibility for the attack, but news accounts reported that police had detained three men and a woman on Saturday for questioning over the attack.

“We are very relieved to hear that Mohamed Nur Mohamed is recovering from the attack,” said CPJ East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes. “This attack underlines the fact that Mogadishu remains a dangerous place to practice journalism despite recent improvements in security.”

Mohamed was also injured in the suicide bomb attack on the country’s National Theater in April this year. At least six journalists have been killed with impunity in Somalia this year, making it the most dangerous country in Africa to practice journalism.

Mogadishu is the capital city of Somalia. Although the city has been removed from the grips of the al-Qaeda related terrorist group al-Shabab, the group still regularly attacks the city and its people. The Somali government and African Union troops have recently taken at least two key cities in Somalia.

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The African Union (AU) and Somali interim governmental troops took another key town, Afmadow, in the battle against al-Qaeda backed terrorist group al-Shabab on May 31. This victory comes only days after the AU and Somali government managed to take the strategic point of Afgoye the previous Friday. With these two victories Somalia is beginning to turn the tide on the terrorist group living within its borders.

Afmadow is a city in the south of the country, an area deep within the control of al-Shabab. The town has been a prime target for the Kenyan troops who began patrolling the south of Somalia October 2011. According to the African Union commanders, al-Shabab abandoned the city without a fight as the troops approach.

This retreat may be due to al-Shabab’s failure to keep Afgoye earlier. However, the retreat could also be a strategic ploy, since al-Shabab claimed that its previous retreat from Afgoye was intentional. A Somali analyst, Mohammed Abdulahi Hassan, claims that the militants most likely do not have the force to defeat the Kenyan troops.

Although these towns have been taken, al-Shabab still controls a large part of The Republic of Somalia. However, it is losing its hold on essential strongholds and cities, such as Afmadow and Afgoye. Both contain routes that lead to all other regions of the country. Afmadow is only 115km (71 miles) from Kismayo, the home base for al-Shabab and the main port city for many of the Somali pirates.

With the city of Afgoye and the town of Afmadow under the control of the Somali government, the port city is the only remaining stronghold of the group. Hassan claims that if Kismayo falls, al-Shabab will be “in a desperate position both politically and financially.”

However there may have been some exchange of fighting in Kismayo already. Al-Shabab claims that unidentified warships attacked the city and were repelled by the al-Shabab fighters. One al-Shabab official, Sheikh Hassan Yaqub, claimed, “the mujahideen fighters opened fire and repulsed two military ships that approached the coast of Kismayo, they were coming close to the coast when they were attacked.” The war vessels then returned fire and wounded a young boy, but no other casualties occurred.

Currently there is no confirmation on which country sent the war vessels or even if they were attempting to attack the city of Kismayo yet. The Kenyan army has naval patrols close to that area, but would not confirm if its vessels were those in the clash. Nine warships owned by the European Union deployed from France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy and the Netherlands were also in the area. However, these ships are specifically reserved for the anti-piracy mission.

The interim Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali told the BBC, “hopefully the next target will be Kismayo and then we will proceed to other towns and cities…surely but slowly we are getting our country back from al-Shabab.”

In addition to the taking of Afmadow, the African Union and Somali military hope to take Kismayo by August 20. This date was set by the many disparate groups within Somalia on May 30 for the official elections to take place and the end of the interim government, yet another – although non-military – way in which the country is progressing.

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The interim president of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, was attacked in his armored convoy on May 28 by the al-Qeada associated group al-Shabab. The attack lasted about thirty minutes, until the African Union troops accompanying the president were forced to fire shells. According to the BBC, one Somali government soldier was killed and four were wounded in the attack. The president arrived at his destination unscathed.

The president was attacked on the Afgoye corridor near Elashu while taking a rare trip out of the capital city Mogadishu. This corridor has nearly 400,000 refugees, the world’s largest concentration of displaced people, who were forced to flee from violence attributed to criminal gangs and militia in 2007 and 2008. The president’s visit was prompted by the victory of African Union and interim governmental forces on May 25 over the al-Shabab stronghold of Afgoye.

The battle for Afgoye lasted four days and is largely considered a great victory for the Somali government and the African Union. Al-Shabab often used Afgoye as a place to launch attacks at Mogadishu, because of its proximity. The town is on a strategic crossroads that allows access to the north, west, and south of Somalia, making this particular loss a huge blow to al-Shabab. It is now likely that the members of al-Shabab are hiding in the nearby villages and farmlands. Al-Shabab has been terrorizing Somalia since 1991, when the last central government failed.

The relative instability of Somalia after the fall of its last government is what has allowed for the presence of piracy and al-Shabab control. Until the election of August 2000, Somalia was without an established government. Since then there have been several presidents who have all tried to regain control of the country from al-Shabab and have succeeded at varying degrees. Recently, President Ahmed has had great success with the removal of al-Shabab from Afgoye and the reconstruction going on in Mogadishu.

However, there are still other groups in northern Somalia that have added to the instability. Somaliland and Puntland are two areas that claim they are independent of the Republic of Somalia and have tried several times to create their own representational government or constitutional democracy. Although Somaliland has remained relatively stable it still has border disputes with Puntland and neither country is recognized by the global community.

Although al-Shabab has been defeated twice now in only a week’s time, it still maintains its hope for the end of the Somali government. A pro-Shabab website claimed that the attack was against “the head of the enemy” and that Sharif had taken refuge behind “African Union troops and white gunmen for safety.” The group also claims that the retreat from Afgoye was a strategic one and that they will be back.

African Union troops have been essential to maintaining the stability and protection of the government in Somalia. Other entities have also aided at certain times, such as the United Nations and the United States. The intervention by the United States resulted in the loss of several soldiers, most widely known from the film “Black Hawk Down.” After this failure, the US was reluctant to engage in other African affairs, such as the genocide in Rwanda.

The African Union has been the most involved in the stability of Somalia and seems to be making progress. Last year the AU, in tandem with Somali government troops, was responsible for ejecting al-Shabab fighters from Mogadishu. These same troops are those who took Afgoye and protected the president from this most recent attack. African Union forces are stationed in the capital city of Mogadishu, Ethiopian soldiers are in the south and west of the country, and Kenyan and AU soldiers also patrol the south of the nation.

There has been a presence of at least 12,000 Kenyan soldiers in the south of Somalia since October 2011. Al-Shabab has promised to exact revenge against Kenya for its presence in its country. Some believe that the group is responsible for the bombing at a busy shopping complex in Nairobi, Kenya on May 28 that injured 33 people. The Prime Minister of Kenya called this attack a “heinous act of terrorism.” Additionally, Kenya blames al-Shabab for several kidnappings and for the destabilizing of its border region.

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Mogadishu, Somalia – The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is alarmed by the journalist slightly wounded by a stray bullet in Mogadishu on Tuesday evening 24 April at around 6: 30PM local time, while the union condemns the police beat up of a journalist in Mogadishu on 23 April, 2012.

The editor of the privately owned SIMBA radio, Abdiasis Mohamed Diiriye was hit by a stray bullet on the left leg below the knee and penetrated the muscle on Tuesday evening 24 April, 2012 around 6:30pm local time at the Bakaro market.

The incident happened shortly after he left the radio station heading his home, following a firefight in that neighborhood, according to Abdiasis Mohamed Diiriye who spoke with NUSOJ over the phone.

“I am in good health situation and currently staying at my home.”

Abdiasis Mohamed Diiriye told NUSOJ, “It is just a slight wound and I came home on my feet.”

In a separate incident, a policeman beat up Mohamed Abdiwahab Nor known as (Abuja), Reporter for the privately Sahan Radio on Monday 23 April, 2012.

The incident happened when the journalist tried to enter a cafeteria at the Ministry of Women affairs – where journalists always gather and chat – amid the Anniversary of the Somali Military Day was taking place in the city and the security of the city was highly tightened.

“The policeman who was keeping guard at the area stopped me along with other journalists, I showed my Identity Card, but did not let us go, while he let other journalists enter the cafeteria.” Mohamed Abdiwahab Nor told NUSOJ, “He was singling us from other journalists, I don’t know the reason.” He added.

“When I and my colleague journalist Ismail Haghi Omar left, he hit me at the back with back of his gun, I fell to the ground and he stood with his boot over my neck squeezing me on the ground, you see how my face has swollen.” Mr. Nor added.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemned the act and called for the Somalia Police Chief to take administrative measures against police personnel found such offenses to ensure that the journalists are respected and are allowed to carry out their duties.

“We acknowledge the extensive work the police are doing in restoring the security in Mogadishu, but it unfortunate we are getting troubles from the police and call for its immediate end.” Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, “I take this opportunity to call for investigations into the murder cases against the journalists, which none of the killers has been brought to court yet.”

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Reporters Without Borders is stunned to learn that Abukar Hassan Mohamoud, the manager of Mogadishu-based radio Somaliweyn, was shot dead on February 28 outside his home in the capital’s Aargada district by two men armed with pistols.

The press freedom organization condemns his cold-blooded murder, which joins a long list of crimes of violence against journalists in Somalia, and reiterates its call to the international community to do everything possible to ensure that these killings do not go unpunished.

“We offer our most since condolences to Mohamoud’s family, colleagues and friends,” Reporters Without Borders said. “This murder is the latest example of the extraordinary violence to which journalists are exposed in Somalia. Indifference to the fate of Somali journalists must stop. We reiterate our call for an independent international commission of enquiry into crimes against journalists in this country.”

Nicknamed Kadaf, Mohamoud was a long-standing member of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), a Reporters Without Borders partner organization. He had participated in all the NUSOJ campaigns calling for journalists to be protected against harassment and physical attack and he courageously never hesitated to lend his name to statements condemning each of the murders of his colleagues. Aged 43, he had a wife and two daughters.

He was the second journalist to be murdered this year, following Shabelle Media Network director Hassan Osman Abdi, who was shot dead outside his Mogadishu home by five unidentified gunmen on 28 January.

Somalia has for years been the deadliest country in Africa for journalists. According to the monitoring of Reporters Without Borders and NUSOJ, four journalists were killed in 2011, three were killed in 2010 and nine were killed in 2009.

Just a week ago, Reporters Without Borders wrote to the participants in the London conference on Somalia to remind them about violence against journalists and request the creation of an independent international commission of enquiry into all the abuses against media personnel in Somalia: http://en.rsf.org/somalia-open-letter-to-delegations-22-02-2012,41922.html

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After a Malaysian journalist was shot to death while on a mission trip in Mogadishu Friday, the Prime Minister urges the public not to point fingers. “Let’s not play this blame game,” Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (Najib) said Sunday, in a media conference at the Royal Mayasian Air Force base in Subang. “The most important thing for us is to take stock of what has happened.”

The deceased journalist, Noramfaizul Mohd Noor, 39, worked as a cameraman for the Malaysian National News Agency, Bernama. He had a wife and two children. Najib spent time consoling Noramfaizul’s family.  According to Bernama, Noramfaizul “was shot while travelling in a four-wheel-drive vehicle with other Malaysian media personnel covering the humanitarian aid mission to Somalia by the Putera 1Malaysia Club.”

Officials said that a clash between the African Union (AU) troops and other gunmen resulted in Noramfaizul’s death. Another reporter was severely wounded. A security official told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that initial reports indicate that AU peacekeepers were responsible for opening fire on the cameraman’s vehicle. Further investigation of the incident is being conducted.

Adbukarim Ali, a security official with the AU-backed government army, reported to Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the shooting occurred at a busy area, which was Kilometer Four, in Mogadishu. “The men were hit by bullets when they were in their car, as they apparently were returning to their hotel,” said Ali.

In an article by Reuters, Muhideen Mohamed, a volunteer with the Malaysians described the deadly scene.“Two bullets hit the journalist, one in the head and another on the shoulder. He died on the spot,” Mohamed said. Mohamed also reported that the second reporter suffered a bullet wound to the arm.

All 54 members of the Putera 1Malaysia Club mission flew back to Subang on board the aircraft carrying the remains of Noramfaizul, reported Bernama. “There’s a limit to what you can prepare for any eventuality,” Najib said. “Isyallah (God willing), we’ll try our level best in the future to prevent such a thing from happening again.” Najib also said, “this deadly shooting is part and parcel of journalism.”

According to the BBC, as the Somalia’s food crisis has intensified. There has been an increase in the number of foreign aid workers and journalists traveling to region to help.

In July, The Washington Post reported that the famine in parts of southern Somalia had already killed tens of thousands of people, mostly children. Humanitarian aid officials described the situation as the “worst humanitarian crisis in the troubled country in two decades.”

On August 30, an article in Bernama said that a group representing the Putera 1Malaysia Club, which included Noramfaizul, had arrived in Mogadishu.Atuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, mission chief and club president, said that their humanitarian work would focus on five areas in Somalia; Magadishu being the first stop.

The mission aimed to distribute 250 tones of food and provide medicine to approximetly 45,000 families.The report by Bernama concluded with the statement that, “Bernama TV reporter Khairulanuar Yahaya and cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Noor are among the media crew taking part in the mission.”

The BCC said that the crisis in Somalia was “severely aggravated by civil strife.” According to AFP, “Clashes between rival militia groups happen regularly in Mogadishu, a city that has been battered by a bloody insurgency as Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shebab rebels fight to unseat the Western-backed government.”

Such tumultuous conditions make humanitarian aid missions, like the work of Putera 1Malaysia Club, particularly dangerous. Noramfaizul is not the first individual to be killed while trying to better humanity in Africa.

Media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) rank Somalia as the deadliest country in Africa for media personnel, with 23 media workers killed since 2007.

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