Somalia: a journalist dies of wounds following a suicide bombing

Photo credit: National Union of Somali Journalists

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), along with its affiliate National Union of Somali Journalists, mourn the death of journalist Abdullahi Osman Moallim of Jubaland TV who today succumbed to serious head wounds sustained from suicide blast occurred on 10 September.  Abdullahi Osman Moallim today died at Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital (formerly known Digfeer hospital) in Mogadishu. Moallim has been in hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) since Monday 11 September when he was admitted to the hospital. The suicide bombing on Sunday in the central Somalian town of Beledweyne killed at least 6 more people and wounded over 15 others, including 2 reporters.  "We send our deepest sympathy to the family and colleagues of Abdullahi Osman Moallim in Hiran region, the latest in a string of brave young reporters to be killed in Somalia," said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General. "Condemning this killing is not enough-authorities must do more to catch murderers who masterminded this heinous crime and deployed the suicide bomber.” Saab TV’s Abdishakur Mohamed Hassan, RTN TV and Simba Radio’s Abdulkadir Omar Ibrahim and were also wounded when a terrorist detonated an explosive vest and belt in Beledweyne’s Siligga restaurant in the Hiran region.  
The IFJ and the NUSOJ condemned the attack and urged journalists in Somalia to operate with extreme caution when reporting in the country.  The Al-Qaeda linked extremist group Al-Shabaab immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the restaurant, which is located outside the Governor’s office of the Hiran region. 
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