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Two
Artillery Shells Hit Newspaper Office in Mogadishu, Journalists
released
Mogadishu, Somalia
March 30, 2011
An artillery shells hit a newspaper office in Mogadishu on
30 March, 2011, around 8:00am local time, NUSOJ reported.
The office of Xog-ogaal newspaper was hit by artillery shells
after heavy fighting broke out between the Shabab and the government
allied by the African Union forces.
The artillery rounds damaged the roof of the office and the
front door and two computers inside the office were damaged,
according to Ismail Omar Madobe, an assistant editor of the
newspaper. But no journalists' casualties have so far been reported.
The newspaper office located in Bakara market, Shabab controlled
area, which has been a battle front for the last couple months
after the government and the African Union forces launched an
offensive against the Shabab. The market has not been so popular
since the offensive started.
Meanwhile, Shabelle radio staffers were released on Wednesday
noon 30 March, 2011, following their arrest on the National
Security Agency on Sunday. News Editor Abdi Mohammed Ismail
and Director Abdirashid Omar Qase were arrested upon their arrival
at security agency headquarters in Mogadishu, according to Shabelle
Radio.
The Radio was accused in misreporting the president Sheik Sharif
Sheik Ahmed's visit to the frontlines on March 22, 2011. The
ministry of Information Posts and Telecommunication said in
a statement that the news aired by Shabelle Radio misrepresented
the situation in Mogadishu and that was detrimental to the national
security.
"We were treated very good, we were not tortured and I
am glad we were released safely." Abdi Mohamed Ismail,
Shabelle's news editor told NUSOJ.
"We are relieved by the release of our colleagues."
Mohammed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Acting Secretary General said, "We
call upon for the warring groups to respect the media stations
and refrain from attacking media houses, which if continues
could be disastrous to the media society in Somalia, while we
condemn the strongest terms possible in such violations."
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