Somalia's hardline militant group of Al-Shabaab forced a local radio station which operates in southern Somali town of Bardhere to close its operations after arresting two of its reporters and the brief detention of the station director.

The owners of Markabley Radio decided to close the station for an indefinite period after its director Ahmed Omar Salihi and two reporters were detained Tuesday.

Salihi was however released early Wednesday after consultation between the station owners and Al-Shabaab officials.

Reporter Mohamed Abdikarim is held in border town of Balad Hawo for reporting an appeal by elders in the town to the Somali government for assistance on harassment from Kenyan security guards at the common border between the countries.

His colleague, Mohamed Salad Abdulle, is held in the southern port city of Kismayo for reporting on a meeting of Hizbul Islam group, Al-Shabaab's arch-rivals which took place in the city that is disputed between the two groups.

Al-Shabaab deemed the reports as inappropriate, arguing that it is the only authority to be addressed on security issues and that it does not recognize any form of government in regions.

The arrest of the journalists was condemned by National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

"The continued arrests and detention of our members by the Al-Shabaab group has reached an alarming proportion and we condemn such acts in the strongest terms possible," said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary-General.

"We firmly condemn these arrests which add to our concerns for the safety of our colleagues in Somalia . This climate of terror against the journalists is unacceptable," declared Gabriel Baglo, Director of IFJ Africa Office.

The few remaining Somali journalists in the war-torn nation, a country that is rated one of the most dangerous zones for journalists, are working under strict rules laid down by warring forces that are determined to silence the journalistic voice.