An independent radio station at the central Somalia town of Guri'el

was shut down by heavily armed security personnel, loyal to Ahlu Sunna

Heavily armed security personnel, loyal to Ahlu Sunna Waljama, entered
the promises of the Radio Galgaduud station and ordered the
radio to go off air and they soon started to collect all radio equipment including the operating FM , according to the management of the radio who
spoke with NUSOJ.

"Ahlu Sunna Waljama forces came to the premises of the radio and
ordered us the radio to go off without warrant and court order and they later confiscated all radio equipment and took away with their vehicles," Abdulkadir Gure Barre deputy director of the radio Galgaduud told NUSOJ, "We were on our regular duty and we don't know why our radio station was silenced." Abdulkadir added.

The Galgaduud radio, founded in September 3, 2011 by an independent entity, was the first radio station opened in Gurael and it is listened widely in and around the town of Guri'el therefore its closure effects the local community.

It was not immediately clear the reason behind the closure of the
radio and the Ahlu Sunna Waljama administration in Guri'el could not
be reached for comment.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns the act of
silencing the radio Galgaduud and calls for the Ahlu Sunna Waljama - a
moderate sufi group - to immediately allow the radio station to resume
operations.

"It is an act of violation to silence an independent radio station
without following the legal proceedings and we demand from the
administration to clarify the reasons of the radio shutdown," Mohamed
Ibrahim Moalimuu, the Secretary General of the National Union of Somali
Journalists (NUSOJ) said "We call for the Ahlu Sunna Waljama
administration to immediately allow the radio station to operate
freely,"