20100919
africanews

Two radio stations have been seized in Somalia capital Mogadishu by Islamist insurgents. The stations, Horn Afrik and GBC, were raided on Saturday by militants from the two main rebel groups al-Shabab and Hizbul Islam.

The groups, who are trying to topple the transitional government, have targeted the media by killing journalists and banning music from the airwaves. Other stations captured by the militants have been used to broadcast their propaganda, according to the BBC.

The first attack was on Horn Afrik, one of the country's best known independent broadcasters. Late on Saturday night, gunmen from the militant group al-Shabab raided the network's headquarters in Mogadishu.

One eyewitness said the station's security guards were blindfolded and beaten by the gunmen, who then moved through the building seizing radio equipment.

The second station, GBC, was stormed by fighters from Hizbul Islam.

Workers there had apparently earlier refused to hand over the radio station to the insurgents, so gunmen forced their way into the building, chasing away the staff.

Radio stations provide a vital source of information for residents of Mogadishu who, because of the ongoing violence, need to be constantly updated on which areas are unsafe. But in the face of ongoing attacks, it is virtually impossible for them to carry out their work.