Somalia's government on Saturday announced a crackdown on media outlets that publish what it deems propaganda for al-Shabaab and warned that offenders would be punished.

"Broadcasting terrorist news has been banned, the government has taken measures and closed about 40 social media accounts where terrorists were broadcasting their news, and any media or individual found spreading the message of that group will be targeted," Deputy Information Minister Abdirahman Yusuf Adala said at a news conference in Mogadishu.