Somali journalists killed in ambush

Mogadishu - Two Radio Jowhar reporters were killed on 15 May 2007 when gunmen ambushed the convoy of the governor of the central province Middle Shabelle, in which they were travelling.

"Two journalists have once again fallen victim to the extreme volatility of Somalia's security situation," says Reporters without Borders, the press freedom organisation.

"Journalists are both unwanted witnesses and easy targets for gunmen. But we refuse to accept the inevitability of these recurring tragedies. The transitional federal government must get together with Somali's journalists and consider adopting special protective measures for the press."

A delegation led by governor Mohammed Omar Deele set off yesterday from the provincial capital of Jowhar for the locality of Addale to mediate between rival clans that have clashed over a piece of disputed land in the past few days, leaving a toll of at least 16 dead.

The two reporters with privately owned Radio Jowhar, Abshir Ali Gabra and Ahmed Hassan, were travelling in the first vehicle. Gabra was also a correspondent of privately owned Radio Quran Kariim, while Hassan was also a correspondent of the Puntland-based Somalia Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).

They were killed instantly when the convoy came under fire from a group of unidentified gunmen in the early evening as it entered the disputed territory. Six of the governor's bodyguards were also killed in the ensuing shootout.

This brings the number of journalists killed in Somalia since the start of the year to four, and local journalists are very worried that Somalia could become a smaller version of Iraq, with one journalist after another being killed with complete impunity.

Source: RSF