KISMAYO, Somalia — A soldier affiliated with local security forces in Kismayo has shot and killed journalist Abshir Khaliif Shide, a reporter working with Radio Waamo, in an incident that has sparked outrage within Somalia’s media fraternity.
The fatal shooting occurred in the southern port city of Kismayo, the administrative capital of the semi-autonomous state of Jubbaland. Local sources say the journalist was attacked by a soldier reportedly attached to regional security forces. The motive behind the shooting has not yet been officially disclosed.
The Somali Reporters Syndicate (SRS) confirmed that the soldier allegedly responsible for the killing has been apprehended. While acknowledging the arrest as a step forward, SRS stressed that it is not enough to ensure justice.
“We underscore the urgent need for a prompt, transparent, and credible judicial process to ensure that the suspect is held fully accountable under the law,” the organization said in a statement.
Hanad Ali Guled, spokesperson for SRS, called on the Jubbaland administration to act decisively.
“Justice must not be delayed. The Jubbaland administration must take immediate and concrete measures to guarantee that the late journalist Abshir Khaliif Shide receives justice. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.
The killing has once again highlighted the precarious environment in which Somali journalists operate, particularly in regions grappling with insecurity and political tensions. Media rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns over attacks, intimidation, and impunity in cases involving violence against journalists.
SRS extended its deepest condolences to the family, relatives, colleagues, and the broader Somali media community following the tragic loss.
Abshir Khaliif Shide’s death adds to a troubling pattern of violence against journalists in Somalia, renewing calls for stronger protections and accountability mechanisms to safeguard press freedom in the country.
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