June 7 (Reuters) - Suspected Islamist insurgents shot dead a local journalist working for the BBC in southern Somalia on Saturday, witnesses said.

A Reuters witness said gunmen confronted Nasteh Dahir outside his home in the port of Kismayu before shooting him in the chest and stomach. He died soon afterwards in hospital.

Here is a chronology of journalists who have been attacked in Somalia since a conflict between Islamists and the government began in June 2006.

2006:

June 23 - Gunman shoots dead Swedish television cameraman Martin Adler covering a pro-Islamist demonstration in Mogadishu.

Aug 4 - Vehicle carrying members of the National Union of Somali Journalists is ambushed between Baidoa and Mogadishu. The driver Madey Garas is killed and a journalist injured.

2007:

Feb 16 - Ali Mohammed Omar, a presenter on Radio Warsan in Baidoa, is shot dead by three assailants as he walked home.

May 5 - Mohammed Abdullahi Khalif, a contributor to private radio station Voice of Peace, is killed in Puntland.

May 15 - Abshir Ali Gabra, a journalist with the independent radio station Radio Jowhar, and Ahmed Hassen, a correspondent with the independent broadcaster, Somalia Broadcasting Corporation are killed in the central Shabelle region.

Aug 11 - Gunmen shoot dead Somali HornAfrik radio journalist and talk show host Mahad Ahmed Elmi outside his station in Mogadishu.

Aug 11 - HornAfrik media co-founder Ali Iman Sharmarke is killed by a landmine while travelling in Mogadishu after the funeral of a murdered colleague. Reuters journalist Sahal Abdulle is injured.

Aug 24 - Abdulkadir Mahad Moallim Kaskey of local Radio Banadir is killed after attackers open fire on a minibus in southwestern Gedo province. Another passenger is hurt.

Oct 19 - Acting chairman of Radio Shabelle, Bashir Nur Gedi, is shot dead by unknown men in his house in Mogadishu.

Dec 16 - Gunmen seize French journalist Gwen Le Gouil of TV company Cargocult Production.

Dec 24 - Somali kidnappers release Le Gouil

2008:

Jan 10 - Four gunmen shoot Abdikheyr Mohammed Jama in the face as he leaves community radio station in Puntland.

May 4 - Gunmen open fire on Bisharo Mohammed Waeys, a talk show presenter on privately-owned Eastern Television Network in Puntland, as she drove home. She was unhurt.

June 7 - Suspected Islamist insurgents shot dead Nasteh Dahir, a local journalist working for the BBC, in southern Somalia, witnesses said.

Sources: Reuters/ Reporters Without Borders/ National Union of Somali Journalists.

AlertNet news is provided by