/ 4 February 2009

Gunmen kill Somali journalist

A Somali journalist says masked gunmen have killed the director of Somalia’s largest media company at a market in the country’s capital.

The journalist says he was with HornAfrik Director Said Tahlil and six other journalists when the gunmen stopped them, took them to a corner and shot Tahlil in the chest. The journalist was speaking on condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals.

The remaining journalists ran away and could hear the gunmen shouting, ”kill them,” says the journalist, adding that no other journalist was killed or wounded.

HornAfrik confirmed the killing on its website, promising more details later.

Tahlil took over as director when his predecessor was killed in a targeted landmine explosion in August 2007. Seven local reporters died that year, most shot dead in targeted killings. — Sapa-AP