Abdinur was forced to move to Mogadishu in 2001 after clashes between clan militias supporting local warlords erupted in Baidoa and disrupted his work.
During his stay with STN he continued to take journalism courses, becoming one of the few professional Somali journalists working in war torn Somalia.
In 2006, Abdinur led four Radio Shabelle journalists on a one-month assignment to cover the severe drought affecting the south and southwest regions of the country.
His coverage drew attention from international aid agencies and the Somali community living outside the country, and led to humanitarian assistance for people affected by the drought.
In 2007, Abdinur and a business partner started Radio Simba, which has over 2 million listeners across southern and central Somalia.
[2] In late 2008, Abdinur had a motorbike accident as he was covering clashes between Ethiopian troops and Islamist insurgents in southern Mogadishu.
The award is given for journalists who show courage in defending press freedom in the face of attacks, threats or imprisonment.