France condemns the murder of 16th Somali journalist this year

The French government on Wednesday condemned the assassination a day earlier of yet another Somali journalist, the sixteenth to be killed so far this year, making it the most dangerous place in the world for press professionals. The latest assassination victim was Ahmad Saakin Farah Ilyas, who was the TV correspondent for the Universal channel based in the town of Las Anood, the French Foreign Ministry reported. "It is essential that the Somali authorities shed all light on this crime and pursue these killers, and take all measures to allow journalists to freely practice their mission to inform, in full security, in order to guarantee respect for freedom of expression and information," a statement said here. "This new assassination brings to sixteen the number of journalists killed this year in Somalia," the Foreign Ministry noted, adding a message of solidarity to the press in Somalia which is "continuing to work courageously in the profession in extremely difficult conditions."