Gunmen kill female journalist in Somalia's Mogadishu

Image

Major Nur Ali, a police officer, said Sagal Salad worked for Radio Mogadishu.

"Three men armed with pistols killed (her)... We heard gunfire and we rushed to the scene, the gunmen had already escaped," Ali told Reuters. 

"She was rushed to hospital but she died on the way. They killed her near a college campus where she studied. We believe al Shabaab is behind her killing." 

Al Shabaab was not immediately reachable for comment. Late last year, a female reporter who also worked for Radio Mogadishu was killed in a car blast. 

Two men convicted of the killing were executed in April. Also in April, a government firing squad executed a former media officer working for al Shabaab for ordering the death of six journalists. 

The al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab was forced out of Mogadishu by African Union peacekeeping troops in 2011 but has remained potent, launching frequent attacks in its bid to overthrow Somalia's government.

Somalia was plunged into anarchy in the early 1990s following the toppling of military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, and has been struggling to reconstruct.

Somalia ranked 172nd out of 180 countries in the 2015 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index. 

(REUTERS)

Related Articles

Media Leaders Commit to Fact-Based Migration Reporting Across Eastern Africa

Journalists were encouraged to highlight these risks while avoiding sensational coverage that could stigmatise migrants or vulnerable communities.

  • Somalia

    22-06-2026

  • 07:49AM

Somali President Hassan Sheikh heads to Kenya for talks amid election crisis at home

The discussions are expected to focus on security, political stability, and efforts to secure a consensus-based electoral process.

  • Somalia

    21-06-2026

  • 10:25AM