Radio France Internationale (Paris)

Somalia: Journalist Murdered in Puntland

A Somali radio journalist died on Wednesday after being stabbed to death on his way home from work. Abdulahi Omar Gedi, 25, worked for the privately-owned Daljir Radio in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region.

He was attacked by assailants armed with knives as he left the newsroom late on Tuesday. He later died of his injuries on the way to hospital.

After stabbing Gedi several times, the attackers are said to have fled with his mobile phone.

No suspects have yet been identified.

Somalia is the most dangerous country for journalists in Africa, according to Reporters Without Borders.

Gedi is the third reporter to be killed this year.

The killing of journalists is increasing day after day, and the crimes are not punished.

But this attack was exceptionally brutal, said Omar Faruk Osman, secretary general of the National Union of Somali Journalists and president of the Federation of African Journalists.

"Journalists in Somalia are very shocked," Osman told RFI. "They see that the killing of journalists is increasing day after day, and the crimes are not punished.

"There is a culture of impunity, and there no political will from the leaders to catch and prosecute the people who are behind the killings of journalists."

Other journalists killed in Somalia include Barkhad Awale Adan, director of Hurmo Radio, who died in gunfire in Mogadishu on 24 August, and Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey, of Radio Mogadishu, who was kidnapped and murdered in the capital on 4 May.


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