Reporters Without Borders and its partner organization in Somalia, National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), are today outraged by the recent violence in Mogadishu and arbitrary shelling and shooting of civilians, including journalists and news media personnel.

On Thursday, 19 April, four shells hit the television studio and the newsroom of Global Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in Mogadishu. Nobody was wounded in the shelling, but the broadcaster went off air.

On Saturday, 21 April, the premises of HornAfrik Radio was collided with seven shells, wounding two of its news media personnel. The station was temporarily shut down, due to the fighting going in its neighbourhood

Reporter Yahye Ali Farah was slightly injured and was admitted to Dayniile hospital, according to HornAfrik journalists but cameraman Abdi Dhaqane who also works with Nairobi Bureau of the London-based international news agency, Reuters, was seriously wounded. Abdi lost fingers at his right hand and main tissues at the right leg, according to fellow journalists and sources at Reuters Nairobi Bureau.

Reuters Nairobi Bureau also told the National Union of Somali Journalists that they evacuated Abdi Dhaqane to Nairobi today to provide him proper medication.

The heavy fire of the artillery also hit the headquarters of the Ayaamaha Daily Newspaper on Saturday, killing a civilian man who was walking close to the newspaper's building.

Xog-Ogaal newspaper, one of the leading daily newspapers in Mogadishu and number of Mogadishu newspapers stopped publishing due to heightened conflict in the Somali capital.

Shabelle Media Network also reported its incapableness to provide to the public the variety of the news reporters that it used to furnish as Shabelle journalists fled with their families to outside Mogadishu.

"The recent warfare is a perfect example of the arising risks faced by journalists and media outlets in Mogadishu", said Reporters Without Borders and National Union of Somali Journalists. "We call renewed attention to the fact that attacks against Somali journalists and media institutions are ill-gotten under international humanitarian law, which protects civilian persons and objects". "The media can never be counted a legitimate target", said the two press freedom watchdogs.

Reporters Without Borders and National Union of Somali Journalists stated: "We in a strong manner call for an acceptable description and an independent query on fresh attacks on the press from the Transitional Federal Government, the Ethiopian forces and all other parts in the conflict. We ask the international community to help to determine what happened".

Source: Reporters Sans Frontieres press release, Paris, in English 22 Apr 07

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