The journalists, reporter Mohamed Nur Mohamed & cameraman Munasar Abdirahman (pictured) were conducting interviews on the affected citizens especially the impact of roads blocked by the rains due to lack of maintenance, when armed police officers shot at, beat them & detained them. Both journalists sustained injuries.

Disturbing video footage shows the moment one district security officer hits the journalists with his gun and physically assaults him while others rush to switch off the camera.

Footage - This clip captures the moment one district security officer hits the journalists with his gun and physically assaults him while others rush to switch off the camera. pic.twitter.com/UWSjltbc1M

— Arlaadi Media Network (@ArlaadiMnetwork) July 18, 2022

Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) condemned the move in the strongest terms possible and called for Somali government to put the officers involved in the incident into account.

"Somali Journalists Syndicate strongly condemns the shooting, beating, detention & confiscation of equipment by the police officers in Wadajir, Mogadishu, on Monday against two journalists who were covering impact of roads blocked by the rains due to lack of maintenance.” The union said in a statement on twitter.

Separately, SJS also concerned about the disappearance another Arlaadi Media Network journalist Hassan Ali Daud in the town of Baidoa on 15 July, 2022, the capital of Southwest of Somalia.

According to SJS, the journalist reportedly disappeared a day after he interviewed members of the opposition lawmakers who criticised President Laftagreen’s administration.