WASHINGTON, D.C. —
“The Voice of America is saddened by the death of Mohammed Ali Nuxurkey, a local VOA reporter in Somalia, who was killed Monday in the bomb blast that left 10 people dead in Mogadishu,” VOA Director David Ensor said Tuesday.
The 29 year old had been contributing to VOA for the past several months, gathering material for breaking news stories, including past bomb attacks in the Somali capital, and the controversial trial of a woman who said she had been raped by Somali forces.
He also worked as a producer for Radio Muqbal, a private station in Mogadishu, for Radio Kulmiye and as a presenter for Horn Afrik TV and Radio.
“Mohammed was smart and professional and a pleasure to work with and we will miss him dearly,” said VOA Nairobi Bureau Chief Gabe Joselow.
VOA Director David Ensor called the death of the young journalist, “Another tragic reminder of the dangers faced by reporters around the world, who often take their lives in their hands to get the vital information that people look to us to provide.”
Initial reports indicate Nuxurkey was eating in a café when the explosion went off.
A police spokesman, Abdullahi Hassan Bariise, told VOA's Somali Service that the suicide bomber apparently targeted a car carrying Mogadishu's security chief and other intelligence officials. Instead, the blast struck a mini-bus, killing some of the passengers, including several schoolchildren. The militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the explosion.
For more information about this release contact Kyle King at the VOA Public Relations office in Washington at (202) 203-4959, or write kking@voanews.com. For more information about VOA visit our Public Relations website at www.insidevoa.com, or the main VOA news site at www.voanews.com.
The 29 year old had been contributing to VOA for the past several months, gathering material for breaking news stories, including past bomb attacks in the Somali capital, and the controversial trial of a woman who said she had been raped by Somali forces.
He also worked as a producer for Radio Muqbal, a private station in Mogadishu, for Radio Kulmiye and as a presenter for Horn Afrik TV and Radio.
“Mohammed was smart and professional and a pleasure to work with and we will miss him dearly,” said VOA Nairobi Bureau Chief Gabe Joselow.
VOA Director David Ensor called the death of the young journalist, “Another tragic reminder of the dangers faced by reporters around the world, who often take their lives in their hands to get the vital information that people look to us to provide.”
Initial reports indicate Nuxurkey was eating in a café when the explosion went off.
A police spokesman, Abdullahi Hassan Bariise, told VOA's Somali Service that the suicide bomber apparently targeted a car carrying Mogadishu's security chief and other intelligence officials. Instead, the blast struck a mini-bus, killing some of the passengers, including several schoolchildren. The militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the explosion.
For more information about this release contact Kyle King at the VOA Public Relations office in Washington at (202) 203-4959, or write kking@voanews.com. For more information about VOA visit our Public Relations website at www.insidevoa.com, or the main VOA news site at www.voanews.com.