Somaliland: Attack on Hubaal Media House Raises Hue and Cry

Editor Aloley of Hubaal newspaper in mysterious attack

Legislators, Politicians, Journalist and the presidency castigate and condemn the attack as the police promises to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the motive and people behind it.

HARGEISA - The failed assassination attempt on the life of the Editor of Hubaal newspaper Mohamed Ahmed Jama 'Aloley' has continued to receive denunciations from various quarters.
Those condemning the attack termed as heinous and calling for the police to ensure that investigations unearth the motive behind the crime include Legislators, Politicians, Journalist and the presidency.

The Somaliland house of representative has strongly castigated the recent attack on Hubaal media house.

MP Said Elmi Roble

While denouncing the attack which it termed as not only abhor able but heinous the house of representative's security and defence sub-committee which wants thorough investigations and arraignment in court of not only the perpetrators but those behind them said the act showed irresponsibility.

According to the committees chair MP Saeed Elmi Roble the interior ministry and the CID should see to it that the one assailant in custody gives all the necessary facts and that he only should not be arraigned in court thus his accomplices must be brought to book too.

"We have convened this meeting of defence and sub-committee so as to discuss the recent shameful attack on the independent media house of Hubaal on Thursday night, which is a new thing in the country "said MP Roble.

The committee sub-chairman Ibrahim Mahdi Bubaa urged the police commissioner and minister of interior to act on the matter similar to other countries where responsible officials resign when similar events like those that took place at Hubaal happen.

The Hubaal saga ensued when two masked gunmen entered the newspaper offices at around 11 pm and immediately fired a bullet that narrowly missedEditor Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Jama who then had to endure beatings by the gunmen before he overpowered them with the assistance of staff present.
In the melee that saw one of the assailants escape when his colleague was subdued and disarmed editor Aloley only sustained a broken right hand and third finger of the left hand.

Adding his castigations on the attack is the leader of the Haqsoor political party Mr. Hasan Isse Jama who equated the Hubaal attack to the Watergate scandal of the early seventies that saw Richard Nixon become the first US president to be impeached.

Said he "Such activities by whoever is responsible are geared towards creating bad-blood between communities as a prelude to insecurity"

Suleiman Duhu
While adding his denunciations and distancing the government from any part in the attack on Hubaal media house the presidential spokesperson Mr. Suleiman Duhul said that the attack was contrary to what the administration stood for, namely the protection of all citizens at all times"

The Somaliland Journalist association-SOLJA that was first to react to the attack it termed as heinous said that the attack which was unprecedented was the work of some individuals intent on muzzling the freedom of press enjoyed in the country.


At a press conference convened by the deputy chair and secretary of SOLJA Mr. Mohamed Abdi Ural and Mohamed-Rashid Muhumed Farah respectively informed that local journalists take the attack seriously considering that the perpetrators were serving officers of the police force.

Brigadier Gen Fadal Iman

Meanwhile the police have promised to unearth the motive and persons behind the attack on the media house in which one of the assailants arrested and currently in custody is a bona fide police officer.

Police Commissioner Brigadier Gen Abdilahi Fadal Iman who during a press conference pledge to reach the root of the issue asked all citizens to give the police ample opportunity for investigations
To read the original article on the attack click here Newspaper editor foils purported assasination attempt