Islamist rebels take over Radio station in Gedo, southwest Somalia

The station, Markabley Radio based in Bardere town, was raided early hours on Monday morning by heavily armed fighters from Al Shabaab led by Barre Qooje, the leader of the rebels in the town.

The staff was ordered by gunpoint to completely leaving the premises and switch off the radio and the management was told that the station would be under the control of Al shabab insurgents, according to the sources.

Hassan Hanafi (Barre Hanafi), a main source of the killing of Somali journalists was among the attacking armed rebels of Al shabab on the radio station.

The station has been neutral in their coverage of the conflict between the Somali government and Islamist groups as well as the African Union peacekeeping troops backing the Somali government forces.

It was not immediately clear why the Islamist groups have raided station in Bardere town, where they control by fear not by respect.

Neither group nor station owners have officially commented on the surprise takeover of the independent radio station of Markabley in Bardere town of Gedo region.

Keydmedia.net - Kismayu, Somalia