Somalia: Journalist killed in targeted attack in Puntland state

Freelance journalist Jamal Farah Adan was shot dead by two gunmen on March 1 in Galkayo city, in the Somali state of Puntland. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) and the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemn this heinous targeted killing of a journalist and urge the authorities to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.

Jamal Farah Adan

Jamal Farah Adan (56)was a veteran freelance journalist whose radio programmes were critical of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group and its operations in the region.

According to eyewitnesses, he was attacked by two men who found him seated in front of a shop owned by his family in Galkayo’s Siinay neighbourhood. He was hit by 
two bullets in the head and one in the neck, according to doctors at Galkayo Medical Center, where he died upon his arrival.

Puntland police responded immediately to the emergency but the suspected killers had already escaped from the crime scene when they arrived.

Adan had worked for several media houses in Puntland, including Radio Daljir, Radio Galkayo and Radio Garowe and was currently working as a freelancer. As a journalist he openly spoke out against Al-Shabaab’s campaign of terror in Somalia.

According to two journalists in Galkayo whose identity cannot be disclosed over concerns for their safety but who talked with NUSOJ , Adan had told them on February 26 that he was receiving death threats, and was seeking safety outside Galkayo. His death is the first to be registered by NUSOJ in 2021.

FAJ President Sadiq Ibrahim Ahmed, said: It is with a heavy heart that we receive the shocking news of the targeted killing yesterday, of our colleague Jamal Farah Adan in Galkayo, Somalia. We condemn this murder in the strongest terms, and demand that the Puntland authorities not only give top priority to bringing the killers to justice but also work to enforce a secure and peaceful environment for journalists in Puntland.

NUSOJ Secretary General, Omar Faruk Osman, said: “We condemn the horrendous and cold-blooded killing of Jamal Farah Adan in Galkayo, which has become the second most deadly place for journalists in Somalia. More and more independent voices are being targeted in Somalia at this critical time in the country’s history, when the public needs unfettered access to impartial and factual information.”

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: “The IFJ is deeply saddened by the targeted killing of Jamal Farah Adan and offers their condolences to his family. We call for urgent action to identify and bring the perpetrators to justice. Violence against media workers in Somalia will not end until the crimes against them are punished”.

For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 16

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries

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