The newsroom of Somali’s Radio Shabelle has virtually become a battlefield as its journalists are caught in the cross fire of government security forces and their rival El- Shabab fighters.
While the security forces accuse Radio Shabelle of “negative reports” on its activities against warlords for which it had temporarily been shut three times in the past, the El Shabab on the other hand also accuse it of negative reportage and had killed some of its journalists and directors.
In a recent fourth government move against Radio Shabelle, 20 staff were arrested and its equipment seized for “negative broadcasts about military operations” against a militia leader.
“They have arrested 20 members of staff, including the director. Equipment for transmission was also seized,” said Mohammed Bashir, a producer for the Radio Shabelle station, who added “I escaped only because I had gone to pray.”
A security official, who pleaded anonymity, described as “negative” the station’s reports on government efforts to disarm a powerful militia commander in Mogadishu, which began with a pre-dawn raid on the day of the arrests.
Sky FM radio, broadcasting from the same building, was also taken off air.
Radio Shabelle has also been threatened by Somalia’s hardline El-Shabaab fighters over its reporting, and several of its journalists and two of its directors have been killed.
This time the station was closed after heavy fighting against troops loyal to local militia leader Ahmed Dai.
African Union troops backed government forces in the battle to seize weapons from the militia.
Bursts of gunfire and heavy explosions were reported before dawn with rocket-propelled grenades fired by both sides, with witnesses reporting at least five dead.
Government troops said they had taken control after a fierce battle lasting several hours.
Somalia’s government launched a disarmament campaign earlier this month.