After a suicide bombing at a restaurant in Mogadishu's capital, the Somali TV journalist known as Abdifatah Moalim Nur, widely recognized as "Qeys," has received tributes in his honor.

Colleagues have praised him as an "exceptional" and "inspiring" individual. Notably, he is the first journalist to lose his life in Somalia this year, as reported by a local media monitoring organization.

The al-Shabab militant group, linked to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the suicide attack at the Blue Sky restaurant. Outside the restaurant, near the presidential palace, four other individuals were injured, according to the police.

Information Minister Daud Aweis strongly denounced this "cowardly" attack. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) expressed deep shock at the "senseless and brutal" killing of Nur, who served as the director of the privately owned Somali Cable Television.

"His remarkable career and unwavering dedication have left an indelible mark on Somali journalism, inspiring countless young journalists to strive for excellence," the union said.

Nur, a staunch advocate of press freedom, had previously faced threats, the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), said.

In October last year, journalist Mohamed Isse Hassan was among more than 100 people killed in twin car bombings in Mogadishu.

A month earlier, a reporter with state-owned Somali National Television, Ahmed Mohamed Shukur, was by killed by a landmine near the capital.

Al-Shabab has been carrying out deadly attacks in Somalia in response to a large-scale military offensive that seeks to drive out the jihadists.

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May last year promising an "all-out war" against the group.

Too bad