海角大神

One of Somalia鈥檚 best-loved broadcast comedians and聽playwrights has died after an apparent assassination shooting, making聽him the 18th media figure killed in the country this year.

Two young men armed with pistols forced their way into Warsame Shire聽Awale鈥檚 home in Mogadishu and shot him several times as he sat talking聽to his wife in their garden.聽He was taken to a hospital but died from his wounds late on Monday.

Mr. Awale was the 18th reporter or broadcaster to be killed in Somalia聽in 2012, making the country the second most dangerous for journalists聽in the world this year after Syria.

Awale, 60, was known for pillorying Al Shabab, Somalia鈥檚 Al聽Qaeda-allied Islamist militants, in radio plays and poems, and it is聽suspected that his assassination was ordered by the group鈥檚 radical聽leadership.

"He was sitting in the garden and I was next to him, we were chatting聽when suddenly two men armed with pistols came and shot my husband and聽then they ran off,鈥� Fowziyo Farah, Awale鈥檚 wife, tells the 海角大神 Science Monitor.聽鈥淩eally my husband was a nice man, they targeted him for no reason. He聽never had any threats made against him before. I call on the聽government to capture the perpetrators.鈥�

Another recent killing

Two days ago, Mohamed Mohamud Turyare, a journalist and producer with聽Radio Shabelle, died as a result of wounds inflicted on Oct. 21聽when he was shot in a similar attack.

鈥淚 strongly condemn the targeted and persistent assault on Somalia鈥檚聽media professionals,鈥� said Augustine Mahiga, Ban Ki-moon鈥檚 Special聽Representative for Somalia and the most senior United Nations official聽in the country.聽鈥淭he world is concerned that none of these murders have resulted in聽conclusive arrests, investigations, and due process or convictions of聽suspects.鈥�

Awale may have become a target because of comments he made on air聽about gunmen attacking civilians, the National Union of Somali聽Journalists said.聽

He had performed with the band of the Somali Police Force and had聽reportedly urged people to join their ranks as they struggle to keep聽order in the face of violent attacks by Al Shabab.

Tom Rhodes, East Africa consultant for the New York City-based聽Committee to Protect Journalists, echoed calls for greater government聽action to safeguard journalists鈥� lives.

"This has been the deadliest year for Somali journalists ever recorded聽by CPJ,鈥� he said.聽鈥淭his record fatality rate underlines the urgency with which聽authorities must act to secure conditions in Somalia, especially in聽the capital."

Osman Gure, director of Radio Kulmiye, where Awale worked, says he spoke to his colleague less than two hours before he was聽killed and that they were preparing a new play for the radio station.

Mr. Gure blames Al Shabab for the killing, even though a militant spokesman聽denied that his men were behind the shooting.

鈥淭hese are assaults against the freedom of the Somali media,鈥� Gure says.聽鈥淚 believe they killed him for expressing his views. They are against聽any active person who is taking part in the development of the country.鈥�