tfg is shooting at and surrounded shabelle radio station

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Somali cops surround radio station

 

Mogadishu, Somalia

 

 

 

18 September 2007 12:00

 

Somali security forces surrounded the independent Shabelle radio station in Mogadishu on Tuesday after firing shots on the building, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondent reported.

 

The incident came three days after police stormed the radio station, accusing one of its journalists of hurling a grenade at a police patrol and detaining 14 members of staff.

 

"We are trapped inside the building because the government forces have sealed off the streets around the station. They are opening heavy fire on the building," a Shabelle journalist told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

 

"Everybody is lying on the floor. We cannot keep our heads up because of gunfire. They are asking us to open the gates and nobody is willing to do that. Most of the windows are shattered," he added.

 

At least seven journalists have been killed in Somalia this year.

 

Media watchdogs have urged all sides to ensure better protection for journalists, several of whom have also been wounded or robbed.

 

Somalia is the second deadliest country in the world for journalists in 2007, after Iraq, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.

 

The troubled Horn of Africa country has had no central authority since former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was toppled in 1991 and has defied numerous attempts to restore stability. -- Sapa-AFP

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Ciidamada dowladda oo rasaas ku wada xarunta Shabelle, iyadoo rasaastaasi ay qasaaro geysatay

 

Mogadishu 18, Sept. 07 ( Sh.M.Network) Ciidamada dowladda KMG ah ee Somalia ayaa ilaa iyo wali rasaas ku wada xarunta idaacadda Shabelle, iyadoo ay ku sugan yihiin qaar ka mid ah shaqaalaha idaacadda Shabelle oo gaaraya ilaa 25 ruux

 

Ciidamada dowladda oo saakay isku gadaamay wadooyinka soo gala idaacadda Shabelle ayaa waxa ay wali ku wadaan rasaasta nuucyadeeda kala duwan.

 

Ma jiraan wali wax dhaawacyo ah oo soo gaaray shaqaalaha idaacadda Shabelle, laakiin waxaa jira dhaawac soo gaaray mid ka mid ah shaqaalaha Global oo idaacada ay isku daar dagan yihiin, iyadoo u dhiig baxayo, mana suurto galeyso in uu helo gargaar caafimaad, xabadda oo wali ku socota xarunta idaacadda.

 

Shaqaalaha Shabelle ayaa ku kala firdhaday xarunta idaacadda Shabelle, kuwaasi oo gabaad ka dhigtay miisaska hoostooda, iyadoo rasaasto ay ka soo galeyso daaqadaha iyo gidaarada idaacadda.

 

Ciidamada dowladda ayaa ku gadaaman wali idaacada, kuwaasi oo rasaas ku ridaya daaqadaha xarunta.

 

Sabtidii la soo dhaafay ayay aheyd markii cidamada dowladda ay kala baxeen xarunta idaacadda Shabelle 19 ka mid ah shaqaalaha idaacadda Shabelle oo muddo labo saac ah ay ku hayeen xaruntii hore ee baarista xisbiga, iyagoo ugu hanjabay in ay dilayaan.

 

Wixii ku soo kordha kala soco shabelle.net

 

 

Shabelle Media Network Somalia

E-mail us: info@shabelle.net

Email Us: news@shabelle.net

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Somali troops raid radio station

 

Shabelle has not been afraid to criticise the government

Somali transitional government forces have opened fire on an independent radio station in Mogadishu, say staff.

Shabelle reporters said soldiers deliberately targeted their office, firing shots through the windows.

 

One of the radio administrators, Jaffar Muhammad Kuukay, is quoted as saying that bullets damaged equipment and injured at least one person.

 

Government troops had previously raided Shabelle Radio and detained 18 journalists after a grenade was thrown.

 

Both Shabelle and HornAfrik have been critical of the Ethiopian-backed transitional government and the Islamic militants who have been trying to topple the administration.

 

Target

 

"We do not know why they are targeting us," Mr Kukay said.

 

"On Saturday, they said a grenade was thrown at them from the Shabelle building. But now I do not know what they want."

 

Shabelle and two other independent outlets, HornAfrik and IQK Koranic Radio, were briefly banned and taken off air in January and in June, prompting criticism from press freedom watchdogs.

 

Last month, the owner and a radio presenter of Horn Afrik were killed in separate attacks by unidentified gunmen.

 

The Committee to Protect Journalists has accused the transitional government of intimidating and persecuting Somali reporters.

 

Joel Simon, the CPJ's executive director, said in a statement: "We call on the government to stop this harassment and to move its forces away from the main gates of the Shabelle Media Network offices."