POLICE officers accused of torturing journalists covering attacks by jihadist groups in the Somalian capital Mogadishu have been arrested, the government confirmed today.

Interior Security Minister Abdullahi Nur said: “The armed forces will be accountable for their actions.”

The officers were shown to have blindfolded the journalists and forced them to lie face down on the ground in images shared by the state-owned Somali National TV on Wednesday.

The reporters, who work for private television companies, were apparently detained after they arrived on the scene to cover the bombings of two police stations in the capital which left at least five dead, including two children.

Journalists are frequently attacked and arrested by security forces and police while carrying out their duties in Somalia. 

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the African country is one of the most dangerous places in the world for media workers.

Earlier this year police attacked Radio Hiraan Weyne reporter Abdullah Ali Abukar after they accused him of releasing footage of a raid on the privately owned station.

“Unless each arbitrary arrest or assault on a journalist is investigated credibly, impunity in attacks on the press will continue to fester within the ranks of Somalia’s security forces,” the CPJ said at the time.