Puntland Government Bans Media Coverage of Islamic Rebels

The region of Puntland, in northeastern Somalia, has banned journalists from interviewing al-Qaida-linked rebels currently battling the semi-autonomous state. While officials say the restriction is necessary for the region’s security, media rights groups have condemned the ban as an attack on press freedoms.
At a press conference in Puntland’s commercial capital, Bosaso, Information Minister Abdihakin Ahem Guled issued a ban on the release of news concerning Islamist insurgent leader Mohamed Said Atom and his forces. Guled told the Puntland media it was obligated to help maintain peace in the semi-autonomous region and warned that any outlets found disobeying the order would face serious consequences. Read More