Unknown gunmen at around 2 o clock on Sunday morning attacked and opened fire at the home of a Somali journalist, Abdikhadar Iman dhaqane, correspondent for Horncable Television, at Farjano neighborhood in Kismayo.
In a press release issued in Sunday afternoon, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemned the attack “in the strongest terms possible”
The union’s sources say that gunmen opened fire at the house of the journalist, “which he narrowly escaped”.
NUSOJ has called on the Somalia government to carry out prompt investigations into the case and ensure the safety of the journalists in the volatile region of lower Jubba.
"We condemn all acts of violence against journalists and particularly the attack on the house of our colleague, Abdikhadar Iman Dhaqane", says NUSOJ Secretary General Mohamed Ibrahim.
"It is still unfortunate that the attacks against the journalists continue in Kismayo, which will then not only force to self censorship but might result in journalists evacuating the area” thereby causing “a complete media silence" Ibrahim says
On 17 July, two journalists, Mascuud Abdulahi Aadan, a correspondent for the Mogadishu based Dalsan Radio was hit in the backbone while Mohamed Farah Sahal, a correspondent for the Mogadishu based Goobjoog radio, was hit in the right shoulder.
Doctors treating both journalists in Kismayo hospital say the bullet that hit Sahal has been removed successfully, but that they could not remove the bullet that hit Aadan and that his health is “seriously deteriorating” and might need outside medical treatment. He is due to be flown to Nairobi this week.
© Politico 06/08/13
