On May 6, 2026, Kalsan TV journalist Ja’far Mohamed Jim’ale and camera operator Nur Hassan Ali were arrested by Somali security forces while covering forced evictions and clashes in the capital Mogadishu, according to the Somali Journalists Syndicate and Ja’far, who spoke to CPJ after his release.
The journalists had travelled to Daynile district’s Warlaliska neighbourhood after residents reported violent evictions and clashes between security forces and locals. They met an injured woman who said she had been assaulted during the operation. As the journalists prepared to film and interview her, soldiers arrived in Military Police vehicles, used by the armed forces to maintain order, detained them, seized their equipment and Kalsan TV staff ID cards - and took them to a military camp in Daynile, Ja’far told CPJ.
At the camp, Ja’far said, both men were mistreated and slapped after denying accusations of opposing the government. Ja’far said both journalists were forced to perform humiliating exercises, jumping up and down and rolling on the ground, and stripped to their underwear.
Later, they were transferred to Garasbaaley district police station on the outskirts of Mogadishu.
During their detention, relatives and management of privately owned Kalsan TV were unable to locate them as they were given conflicting information, Ja’far said.
Close to midnight on May 7, the journalists were released without charges, after about 36 hours in detention.
As of late May 2026, their camera equipment had not been returned, although police promised to hand it back to Kalsan TV, Ja’far said.
CPJ did not receive responses to its requests for comment sent via messaging app to Information Minister Abdifitah Qasim and police spokesperson Abdifatah Adan.