About 10 gunmen disguised as government security forces arrived at the hotel in the south of the city and took them.

A BBC Somali Service journalist says African Union military officials are aware of the report. It is not clear who the reporters work for.

Mogadishu has been in the middle of fierce on-off battles between pro-government forces and Islamist rebels.

The abduction took place at the Sahafi Hotel on Tuesday morning in a part of the Somali capital controlled by pro-government forces.

Gunmen wearing Somali police uniforms turned up at the guest house, seized the two reporters and took them in a vehicle towards a part of the city run by insurgents, said witnesses.

BBC