Somali Islamists storm broadcaster
September 20th, 2010 - 2:33 am ICT by IANSNairobi/Mogadishu, Sep 20 (DPA) Fighters with Somalia’s Islamist al-Shabaab miliita stormed the headquarters of radio and TV broadcaster in the capital Mogadishu over the weekend, reported the online portal maareg.com Sunday.
The rebels, who are working to overthrow a weak, Western-backed government, confiscated technical materials from the Horn Afrik broadcaster and destroyed audio tapes and cassettes.
Separately, fighters with the Hizbul Islam militia occupied the building of the GBC broadcaster over the weekend.
The militias have repeatedly threatened journalists and forbidden music programmes. Horn Afrika had stuck to the ban on music. The rebels themselves run multiple propaganda broadcasters in the large
parts of Somalia they control.
The Western-backed government of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed only controls a few districts of Mogadishu.
Nine journalists were killed last year in Somalia, while many others were injured in targeted attacks. Two have died so far this year, while many others have been the targets of threats.
Al-Shabaab has ties to the international Al Qaeda network and hopes to create an Islamist state in Somalia. Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991.
- 20 dead in Mogadishu fighting - Jun 19, 2010
- Islamist rebels receiving weapons from Yemen: Somali minister - Jan 04, 2010
- Somali insurgents back Al Qaeda, clashes claim 16 lives - Feb 01, 2010
- Politicians among 60 dead in Somalia clashes (Second Lead) - Aug 24, 2010
- Al-Shabaab militants withdraw from Somali capital - Aug 07, 2011
- Roadside bomb kills eight in Somalia - Sep 01, 2010
- Four peacekeepers killed in Somalia - Aug 30, 2010
- 10 politicians among 42 dead in Somalia clashes (Lead) - Aug 24, 2010
- Somali premier resigns amid spat with president - Sep 21, 2010
- 23 killed, dozens injured in Somalia fighting - Jun 03, 2010
- Kampala attacks just a beginning, warns Al Shabaab leader - Jul 15, 2010
- Seven, including three ministers, killed in Somalia blast - Dec 03, 2009
- Somali insurgents ban UN mine agency - Dec 18, 2009
- Senior Al Qaeda man killed in Somalia - Feb 10, 2010
- Drone crashes near Somalia refugee camp - Feb 04, 2012
Tags: ahmed, al qaeda, al qaeda network, broadcasters, capital mogadishu, dpa, horn afrik, islamist, journalists, militia, militias, music programmes, nairobi, radio and tv, rebels, sharif, somali islamists, somalia, technical materials, tv broadcaster