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Journalist badly injured in targeted attack

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is horrified by an attack on broadcast journalist Abdulkadir Abdirisak Soofe, known Jiijiile, in Kismayu on Wednesday evening, 29 May, in which he was badly wounded after he was shot in close range.

Two men armed with pistol and AK-47 attacked Abdulkadir Abdirisak Soofe, who worked for Royal TV and contributed to several private radio stations, on his way back from work and shot him several times wounding him at the mouth. The journalist was attacked near Meat Plant in Kismayu, 500 km south of Mogadishu.

The motive behind the targeted attack was not clearly stated but local journalists suspect that he was targeted for reporting statement made by one of opposing politicians who claimed to be President Jubbaland, Barre Aden Shire (Barre Hiraale), and Barre Hiraale’s political opponents are strongly suspected to be behind this attack, according to journalists and family of Abdulkadir Abdirisak Soofe.

Before this attack, security forces allied with Ahmed Madobe, another politician that claims to be the president of Jubbaland administration, telephoned Soofe to come and cover an event they were organising but the journalist refused to go in fear of his life, according to fellow journalists in Kismayu.

“We firmly condemn this targeted attack on Abdulkadir Abdirisak Soofe, which was clearly linked to his journalistic work in the highly sensitive political situation in Kismayu, and we hope he recovers quickly,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.

Recently, Abdulkadir Abdirisak Soofe, 22, reportedly received threats from Abdinasir Seeraar, one of the officers of Raskambooni armed group for making “biased” reports against Ahmed Madobe, leader of Raskambooni.

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