MOGADISHU, (insidesomalia.org)-- Nasteh Dahir Farah, a prominent Somali journalist, was killed by unknown gunmen the southern Somali town of Kismanyu, an official in a Mogadishu based Somali journalists union confirmed Saturday.

Abdurashid Abdille Abikar, a senior official in the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) told Xinhua that Farah was shot dead by unidentified gunmen as he was returning to his home in Kismanyu, provincial capital of Lower Jubba Province, 500 km south of the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

Farah was himself the vice Chairman of NUSOJ Supreme Council, and also worked for the BBC Somali service and other foreign news agencies including AP.

"We call on the sides in Somalia to ensure the safety of Somali journalists working in a very dangerous and exceptional circumstance," Abikar told Xinhua in Mogadishu.

More than ten Somali journalists were last year killed by unknown gunmen in mysterious circumstances Somalia where local and international media watchdogs say is the worst place for journalists to work after Iraq.

A number of privately owned radio stations in Mogadishu have been closed down several times but reopened after a while by Somali security, who accused them of reporting false information or of biase.

Somalia has been without a central authority since former ruler Mohamed Siyad Barre was overthrown in 1991 by rebels who turned on each other, curving the country into fiefdoms.