SJS Secretary General Archives - Kaab TV

SJS Strongly Condemns the Abduction of Journalist Abdihaafid Nor

Staff Reporter — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:28:22 +0000

MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the abduction of journalist Abdihaafid Nor by armed officers of the Somali National Army in Mogadishu on the morning of Tuesday, February 24, 2026. SJS is calling for his immediate and unconditional release.

According to reports, armed officers from the Somali National Army abducted journalist Abdihaafid Nor at approximately 1:50 a.m. on February 24 in Mogadishu.

Eyewitnesses told SJS that Abdihaafid was at a restaurant in the area early Tuesday morning when armed officers—some wearing military uniforms and others in civilian clothing—arrived in a pickup truck and forcibly took him away.

Reliable sources informed SJS that the journalist was transported to a military facility inside the Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy in the Hodan district of Mogadishu. His family and friends have been unable to reach him, and his phone remains switched off.

On Monday, February 23, Abdihaafid Nor, a reporter with Somali Cable Television who is also active on Facebook, published a report about the dismissal of four commanders from the Turkish-trained Gorgor forces.

According to his report, the officers were removed from their posts following a dispute over orders to deduct $100 from allowances allocated to soldiers who had been wounded or fallen ill while serving in the unit. The four commanders reportedly refused to carry out the order, leading to their immediate dismissal.

Military sources told SJS that the report angered certain officers within the Gorgor unit and that this may have led to the journalist’s abduction.

SJS strongly condemns this act of abduction, describing it as a serious violation of press freedom and the fundamental rights of journalists.

“The abduction of our colleague Abdihaafid Nor, who exposed the dismissal of Gorgor force commanders in the public interest, is a direct attack on press freedom,” said SJS Secretary General Abdalle Mumin.

“We call on the officers of the Somali National Army who abducted Abdihaafid Nor to release him immediately and unconditionally. We also demand an end to intimidation, unlawful detention, and reprisals against journalists operating in Somalia,” Mumin added.

The post SJS Strongly Condemns the Abduction of Journalist Abdihaafid Nor appeared first on Kaab TV.

SJS Successfully Concluded a Two-Day Training Program.

Staff Reporter — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 07:18:06 +0000

Mogadishu (Kaab TV) – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) has successfully concluded a two-day training on climate change and climate justice reporting, marking the launch of its two-year program aimed at building a cadre of climate-informed journalists in Somalia and Somaliland.

Supported by Medico International, the training was held in Mogadishu from 30–31 December 2025 and brought together 10 local journalists from Somalia and Somaliland, including those from areas severely affected by climate change. Thirty percent of the participants were women.

Nuura Mohamed Hassan, a reporter with Warsan Radio in Baidoa, Southwest State, shared how the training influenced her reporting.

“This training transformed how I approach climate reporting. I have moved beyond simply covering disasters to producing stories that connect climate impacts with governance, accountability, and practical solutions,” she said.

Shukri Abii Cabdi of Shabelle Media Network in Mogadishu highlighted the broader scope of climate reporting:
“Climate change reporting is ultimately about people and justice. This program equipped us with practical tools to question policies, track climate-related actions, and show how vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected.”

Somalia currently hosts nearly four million people—about 20 percent of the population—living in refugee or internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. Human-induced climate change made the 2022–2023 drought up to 100 times more severe, leading to an estimated 43,000 excess deaths.

Journalists in Somalia and Somaliland often operate on the frontlines of crises, including environmental disasters, under extremely challenging conditions. Limited safety, restricted access to information, lack of editorial support, and threats from powerful actors who benefit from environmental exploitation significantly constrain their ability to report effectively on climate issues.

Over the past two years, with support from Medico International, SJS has built a network of local journalists reporting on communities’ struggles to adapt to climate shocks.

This training directly responds to the challenges faced by Somali journalists. It aims to close knowledge gaps, enhance safety, and strengthen journalists’ professional capacity to deliver consistent, impactful coverage of climate change and climate justice. Over the next two years, the SJS program will build on earlier initiatives that have promoted journalist resilience, freedom of expression, and protection mechanisms.

SJS Secretary General Abdalle Mumin emphasized the broader significance of the initiative in contributing to global efforts to advance climate justice by empowering the most vulnerable communities to tell their stories and help shape solutions through media reporting.

“Climate change reporting is not just storytelling—it is about saving lives and providing communities with relevant information to guide their daily decisions,” said Abdalle Mumin.

He added, “Recurring droughts, severe floods, environmental degradation, and unpredictable rainfall continue to threaten livelihoods, food security, and stability. This underscores the critical need for informed, professional climate journalists to support public understanding and policy accountability. The training deepened participants’ understanding of climate change and climate justice while equipping them with practical skills to produce accurate, impactful reporting.”

Following the training, participants will continue to receive ongoing mentorship, guidance, and support to strengthen their future climate reporting. Through this mentorship program, SJS aims to develop a strong network of climate-aware journalists capable of contributing meaningfully to public discourse and supporting climate resilience in Somalia and Somaliland.

The post SJS Successfully Concluded a Two-Day Training Program. appeared first on Kaab TV.

Journalist Freed After Overnight Unlawful Detention by Doolow Authorities in Jubaland

Staff Reporter — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:26:28 +0000

Mogadishu (Kaab TV) – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) welcomes the release of journalist Ali Mohamed Diriye, who spent a day and night in unlawful detention in Doolow town, Gedo region, in Somalia’s Jubaland state, on Sunday, 28 December.

Ali Mohamed Diriye, also known as Ali Yare, is a reporter with Radio Gedo, a local radio station based in Doolow, a border town with Ethiopia. On Sunday morning, 28 December, while he was having tea at a local coffee shop in Doolow, armed officers from the Jubaland intelligence services arrived at the café and immediately arrested him.

Ali told SJS that the officers confiscated his mobile phone, forcibly removed his clothing, leaving him only in his underwear, and detained him in a small container room. He said he remained there until the morning of 29 December, without access to food, drinking water, or a washroom, before being released.

Ali is originally from Beled-Hawo, another town in the Gedo region on the border with Kenya, which is currently under the control of an administration affiliated with the Federal Government of Somalia. On the day of his arrest, Radio Gedo had published a video showing a fire that destroyed stalls at the local market in Doolow.

Ali told SJS that he also contributes to Mogadishu-based Kalsan TV and had most recently been actively reporting on the Beled-Hawo conflict, where several weeks of armed clashes between Jubaland forces and Federal Government troops resulted in dozens of deaths and the displacement of local communities in July and August. One such report was Ali’s early November story about the arrest of a local military officer by Ethiopian forces backing the Jubaland administration.

The Beled-Hawo conflict in Somalia’s Gedo region is a recurring power struggle between the Federal Government and the Jubaland State over control of the strategic border town. Clashes in mid-2025 between federal forces and Jubaland-aligned troops displaced civilians, heightened tensions, and raised concerns in Ethiopia. Rooted in disputes over federalism, security, and resource distribution, Gedo remains a key battleground in Somalia’s political landscape.

A local journalist in the region who advocated for Ali’s release told SJS that authorities in Doolow were displeased with Ali’s previous reporting. Local clan elders from Ali’s community intervened and called for his release on Monday, 29 December. However, Ali told SJS that he has since left Doolow due to safety concerns.

“We welcome the release of Ali Mohamed Diriye (Ali Yare) from unlawful detention and are relieved that he is now safely reunited with his family. We call on the authorities in Gedo to respect and uphold journalists’ right to report freely, accurately, and impartially on events on the ground, regardless of which actors are involved,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“Ali committed no wrongdoing; he was simply fulfilling his professional duty by informing the public about the conflict in his region. Unfortunately, this led local authorities in Doolow to persecute him. We strongly condemn these actions and urge an end to the harassment of journalists,” added Mr. Mumin.

The post Journalist Freed After Overnight Unlawful Detention by Doolow Authorities in Jubaland appeared first on Kaab TV.

15 Journalists Arrested Amid Crackdown on Media Covering Public Opinion and Political Tensions in Mogadishu

Kaab TV News Editor — Sun, 25 May 2025 08:35:05 +0000

MOGADISHU, Somalia 24 May, 2025 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the recent wave of arrests, threats, and intimidation targeting journalists in Mogadishu. Over the past 48 hours, SJS has recorded a disturbing spike of 15 arbitrary detentions, equipment confiscation, and obstruction of media workers by security forces—particularly officers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and the police—as journalists sought to cover public opinion and political developments in the capital.

These actions constitute a blatant assault on press freedom and the public’s right to access and disseminate information. SJS calls on Somali authorities to immediately end these repressive measures and uphold the constitutional rights of journalists.

On Thursday, 22 May, Somali police in Mogadishu briefly arrested three journalists: Abdullahi Yusuf Hassan (reporter for RNN TV), Mohamed Hassan Geedi (cameraman for RNN TV), and Yahye Mohamud Hersi (cameraman for Himilo Somali TV). Two of the journalists told SJS that after their arrest, they were handed over to officers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), who then transferred them to the Hodan District Administration office, where they were detained.

On Thursday, 22 May, Somali police in Mogadishu arrested three journalists (picture above): Abdullahi Yusuf Hassan (reporter for RNN TV), Mohamed Hassan Geedi (cameraman for RNN TV), and Yahye Mohamud Hersi (cameraman for Himilo Somali TV). | PHOTO/Combined/SJS.

Anisa Abdiaziz Hussein, a reporter for Himilo Somali TV who was with the arrested journalists, told SJS she fled on foot after witnessing armed men attacking the journalists. The journalists had been covering a protest by local women meat sellers at the Zoobe Junction in Mogadishu, who were demonstrating against the demolition of their makeshift stalls.

Anisa Hussein of Himilo Somali TV and Abdirahman Ahmed Hassan of Five Somali TV. | PHOTO/ Combined/SJS.

According to the journalists, NISA officers confiscated their equipment and deleted the footage they had recorded. An editor at Himilo Somali TV told SJS they later received a threatening phone call from a NISA officer warning them not to broadcast anything related to the women’s protest or the demolitions. All three journalists said they were released later that afternoon under the condition that they do not publish any content about the protest or the demolitions—an agreement they were forced to accept in order to secure their release.

On Friday night, 23 May, police officers from Galmudug State in South Galkayo arrested online reporter Ali Maalin Nuur after he published a news report on his Facebook page about truck drivers and their vehicles being held at a roadblock outside Galkayo city, Mudug region. In the now-deleted video clip, the journalist reported that armed men at the roadblock—identified as members of the Galmudug security forces—had been demanding additional payments from the truck drivers, causing the trucks to be stranded for several days. Armed police officers raided the journalist’s house on Friday night and arrested him.

Online reporter Ali Maalin Nuur. PHOTO/ Courtesy/ Ali Maalin Nuur.

Ali Maalin Nuur told SJS that his arrest was ordered by the Governor of Mudug in Galmudug, Abdinasir Abdukadir Abdulle. He told SJS that he was detained overnight at the South Galkayo police station, and his name was not recorded in the occurrence book (OB). He was released on Saturday afternoon after being forced by the officers to delete the video from his Facebook page, which he did. Ali told SJS that he was not taken to court and believed he would not have received justice, as the police had threatened to keep him in custody if he refused to delete the report. A senior official from the Galmudug State Ministry of Information told SJS that although the journalist had been released, they were following up with the governor who ordered the arrest, which the official described as illegal.

Screenshot from Ali Maalin Nuur Facebook page shows content not available following his arrest on Friday 23 May, 2025 in Galkayo. | PHOTO/Screenshot/ SJS.

On Saturday, 24 May, agents of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) briefly detained four journalists in Mogadishu: Abdinasir Abduqadir Salah and Abdinasir Sayid Ali from Shabelle TV, and Abdirahman Abdulle Rooble and Hassan Ahmed Takow from SYL TV. The journalists were collecting vox-pop interviews from the public on Maka Al-Mukarama Street, asking for opinions on the coalition of opposition politicians who had held an event in Mogadishu the previous day, Friday. They were taken to an open area near the Waberi Police Station, where they were interrogated, threatened, and ordered to delete their footage. Two of the journalists told SJS they were threatened with violence if they continued reporting critically on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

All four journalists were released without being officially booked or charged at the police station.

On Friday, 23 May, political opposition groups led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khaire and Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, and other members of parliament gathered at a mosque and religious site in Mogadishu. During the gathering, they delivered a public speech—widely broadcast by the media—condemning President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s autocratic actions in relation to the 2026 election. They called on the president to return to constitutional order.

Hassan Takow and Abdirahman Abdulle of SYL TV. | PHOTO/ Combined/ SJS.

On Saturday, 24 May, NISA agents in Mogadishu briefly arrested seven journalists while they were collecting public opinion on the country’s political situation. Two of the journalists, Ismail Yabarow Hassan and Mohamed Adan Hassan, were working for Somali Cable TV. Four others—Ja’far Abdirisak Mohamed, Shukri Hashi, Ayanle Abdinur, and Sundus Ali Botan—were working for Goobjoog Media, while the seventh journalist, Abdirahman Ahmed Hassan, is a cameraman for Five Somali TV.

The journalists had been gathering public views on the political developments in Mogadishu and the recent statement by opposition politicians concerning the 2026 election. Somali Cable TV reported that their journalists were stopped by NISA officers and told they were “not allowed to conduct public opinion on the streets.” All seven journalists had their equipment confiscated and their recorded material deleted. They were also warned not to conduct further interviews with the public. As a result, the journalists returned to their respective media outlets without completing their assignments.

On Saturday, 24 May, Anisa Ahmed Mohamed and Masud Abdirahman Yusuf, both working for Dalbile online TV, were conducting interviews when plain-clothed, armed NISA officers interrupted and chased them away from Maka Al-Mukarama Street. After the journalists left the area, the officers followed them to another location and again disrupted an interview they were conducting with members of the public. The journalists had been asking people for their views on the current political tension, following a recent statement by opposition groups condemning President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s actions in relation to the 2026 election.

Anisa Ahmed and Masud Abdirahman of Dalbile TV. | PHOTO/ Combined/SJS.

Local media reported an increased presence of plain-clothed NISA agents armed with pistols along Maka Al-Mukarama Road, a popular area where journalists often gather public opinion. Journalists have reported their independent reporting has been effectively banned in areas surrounding Maka Al-Mukarama, including KM4. Media also reported the arrest of a prominent tuk-tuk driver and activist, Sayid Ali—commonly known as Saan Miyaa—who had spoken out against the growing suppression of the public by NISA agents.

“In the past 48 hours, we have witnessed a new wave of attacks against journalists in Mogadishu, carried out by members of NISA and the police. The arrest of 14 journalists—13 in Mogadishu and one in Galkayo—along with equipment seizure, deletion of content by the threat of violence and intimidation, marks an alarming escalation of repression that undermines press freedom and the very foundation of democracy in Somalia,” said SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Mumin.

“These attacks on media workers are unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms. As we have said, these violations will not end until the perpetrators are held accountable,” added Mr. Mumin. “All journalists and media organizations need to stand united in defense of our rights and freedoms. We need action now. Let us also remind those behind these attacks that they will not get away with it; if not today, then certainly not tomorrow.”

(Source: SJS)

The post 15 Journalists Arrested Amid Crackdown on Media Covering Public Opinion and Political Tensions in Mogadishu appeared first on Kaab TV.