MOGADISHU (SD) – Somalia’s elite forces have today raided the privately-owned radio Mustaqbal Media amid military tension escalates in Somali capital.

According to journalists and management of Mustaqbal Media, The Turkish trained paramilitary forces, Haram’ad entered the radio premises in K4 area at 6:00am on Tuesday and ordered the staff on duty to come down at gunpoint, where they beat and harassed radio editor Bashir Mohamud Yusuf before confiscating desktops, laptops, phones and cameras. The radio was put off-air subsequently.

“The Haramad police entered our building this morning. They beat me with the gun and I sustained bruises on my chest and back. When they saw my journalist Identification Card, one officer even cocked his gun and threatened to kill me. They entered the office and confiscated computers, laptops, phones and cameras,” Bashir said.

Radio Mustaqbal has been covering the recent developments including gunfight and street protests between security forces backing the federal government of Somalia and military forces backing the opposition — who oppose president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo’s term extension — in Mogadishu since Sunday morning. K4, where the radio locates, is among neighborhoods where both sides clashed on Sunday.

Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), a local media watchdog has condemned the violent attack on Radio Mustaqbal.

“We call on the police and security officials to immediately return the equipment taken from the radio as we also call for an independent investigation into this violent attack,” Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the secretary general of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said.