Four journalists were killed over the last 24 hours in two separate attacks in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, according to news reports and journalists.

“We condemn the violent attacks against Somali journalists in the strongest terms and extend our condolences to their families, friends and other journalists in Mogadishu, who should not have to fear for their lives as a result of their work,” said IPI Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie. “The Somali government is responsible for protecting journalists. At the moment, they are failing to do so and it is unacceptable.”

Three journalists were killed when two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a café called The Village, or “Hooyooyinka”, yesterday afternoon, journalist and head of the local National Union of Somali Journalists Mohamed Ibrahim told IPI. Reports said their names were:

Liban Ali Nur, also spelled Liiban Ali Nor, head of news at Somali National Television
Abdisatar Daher Sabriye, also spelled Abdisatar Dahir Sabriye, a news producer at Somali National Television
Abdirahman Yasin, also written Abdi Rahman Yasin Ali, the head of Radio Hamar, or Voice of Democracy
Seven other journalists were reportedly wounded, of whom four remain in critical condition, according to Ibrahim. He said local journalists believed their colleagues were the prime targets for the attack, because the café is a known hangout for reporters; a place for members of the Mogadishu media to exchange information before work and catch up afterwards.

In a separate attack, Hassan Yusuf Adsuge was shot dead by unknown assailants at 11.30am this morning near General Daud High School in the capital, Ibrahim told IPI. He reportedly worked for Radio Maanta.

Ibrahim told IPI the attacks were “an effort to silence the independent media, because the radio stations have been increasing in the last months. There are now more than 30 radio stations in Mogadishu.” With security conditions improving in Somalia over the past months, citizens including journalists had been returning to the capital. “It seems now that the journalists are giving up hope that there’s enough security,” Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim acknowledged that the government cannot provide security for individual journalists. “But what they can do is catch the killers and bring them to court, because if the killers know they will be caught, the killing would not be as random,” Ibrahim said.