NAIROBI, Nov 28 (Reuters) - An international media watchdog condemned as "ridiculous" and illegal on Wednesday the Mogadishu mayor's banning of media interviews with Somali insurgents and other tough restrictions on local journalists.

Mayor and former warlord Mohamed Dheere called media heads in this week to impose the restrictions, which also include prohibitions on reporting government military operations or the Somali capital's massive refugee exodus.

"New draconian restrictions on the coverage of fighting between government forces and rebels by the few media still operating in the capital are unacceptable," Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said in a statement.

"The rules decreed by Mohamed Dheere are ridiculous especially as they have no legal basis," it added.

The mayor's measures have put further pressure on Somali journalists already reeling from a series of assassinations, shutdowns, arrests, and threats from both sides during this year's Islamist-led insurgency in Somalia.

"A city in which the most popular news media have been closed arbitrarily, dozens of journalists flee each week, and those that stay risk being arrested or murdered needs a mayor who offers safeguards and who is open to dialogue," RSF added.

"Instead it has one who imposes the rule of martial law."

With most foreign journalists staying clear of the Horn of Africa nation for security reasons and many local reporters having fled, those who remain take huge risks to cover the daily violence, mainly in Mogadishu.

Seven local reporters have died this year, most shot dead in targeted killings yet to be investigated.

The government accuses Somali journalists of fanning the insurgency by giving airtime to leaders and exaggerating their attacks. But Islamists have also criticised the media for being too close to the government.

Banadir, Simba and Shabelle radios have all been ordered off air in recent days, Shabelle for the eighth time this year.

Neither Dheere, nor other government officials, could be reached on Wednesday for comment on the media restrictions.

In overnight fighting, insurgents attacked several Ethiopian bases with grenades and machine-guns in Mogadishu, but there were no immediate reports of casualties, residents said. (Reporting by Duncan Miriri, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Giles Elgood)

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