Laascaanood — Armed men described by local sources as militia-style forces reportedly under the command of an officer identified as Gawrac raided the offices of Raxanreeb Media in Laascaanood on the 18th of this month, in an incident that has drawn condemnation from journalists’ groups and renewed concerns over press freedom in the region.

According to representatives of Raxanreeb, the armed group entered the media outlet’s premises, confiscated equipment and issued threats against its Northeastern Regional Director, Abdirisaq Kobciye. The outlet stated that no formal warrant or court order was presented during the operation. The circumstances surrounding the raid and the legal basis for the action remain unclear.

Sources further reported that the same forces later went to Mr. Kobciye’s residence, where they allegedly intimidated members of his family. Mr. Kobciye was not at home at the time of the incident. There were no immediate reports of physical injuries.

The raid followed the publication by Raxanreeb of a video report featuring manual laborers who complained that their jobs had been reassigned to foreign nationals, a situation they said had negatively affected their livelihoods. The outlet maintained that the report was prepared and disseminated in line with professional and editorial standards.

Hours after the video was broadcast, security personnel allegedly led by Commander Gawrac conducted the raid on the media office. Raxanreeb representatives contend that the action was carried out without adherence to due legal procedures.

In a statement issued after the incident, the Northeastern Journalists Association strongly condemned what it described as actions taken by Sool regional police against journalist Abdirisaq Kobciye. The association said that detaining a journalist, recording a video of him at a police station and compelling him to issue an apology constituted conduct that violated press freedom and citizens’ rights.

The statement added that such measures create a climate of fear for independent media and risk undermining public trust in security institutions.

Regional authorities had not issued an official response at the time of publication. The incident has intensified concerns among media advocates about the safety of journalists and the operating environment for independent media in the area.