| |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 87.8MHz [1] and (HD Radio) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Al-Kataib Media Foundation [2] |
Radio al-Furqan (Somali : Idaacadda al-Furqaan) is a Somali radio station and media outlet owned and controlled by al-Shabaab. [3]
Radio al-Furqan was created by al-Shabaab in 2009 in order to disseminate Jihadist propaganda, religious teachings and audio messages, alongside Radio al-Andalus. [4] Radio al-Furqan hosts a Somali language website that promotes interests of al-Shabaab which include videos and photo releases by al-Kataib Media Foundation, its style similar to Amaq News Agency as it tries to present itself as an independent media source. [5] Normally, Radio al-Furqan posts news reports including photo reports before any other organization including Shahada News Agency. [6]
In 2013, al-Shabaab hosted Radio al-Furqan through an FM radio station under the alias Al-Ihsan local FM radio in Mogadishu before being shut down by Somali forces on March 2, 2013, they then moved operations to Adado District in the capital of it, Adado. [7]
On December 31, 2020, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted airstrikes in southern Somalia, launching at least four missiles. According to initial reports, the strikes were intended to target Al-Shabaab's Radio Andalus; however, later confirmations indicated that Al-Furqan radio, located on the outskirts of Kunya Barrow, was hit instead. [8]
After the shutting down of Radio al-Andalus, Radio al-Furqan became the main radio station of Al-Shabaab. [9]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Radio al-Furqan and other Al-Shabaab media outlets tried to paint the pandemic as a punishment against the "kuffar". [10]