Al-Shabaab rebels in Somalia have taken over radio stations in the cities in their control.

The Somali trade union of journalists says that Al-Shabaab, which pledges allegiance to al-Qaeda, has seized radio stations in the cities Kismayu and Bayhaba and adapted the contents of their broadcasts.

The insurgents are also arresting the few independent journalists in Somalia who have not yet fled the country. The journalists are then detained for several days and severely mistreated.

The trade union has expressed grave concern about the lack of press freedom and the increasing intimidation of journalists in Somalia.

Somalia has not had a central government for 19 years. Al-Shabaab and other rebel groups have large parts of the country in their control. The Western-backed government of Sheikh Sharif Ahmed only has any say in a small part of the capital Mogadishu