Somali security forces have repelled a deadly attack on a high-security prison in Mogadishu, killing seven al-Shabab militants during a fierce six-hour battle. The assault, which took place at the Godka Jilacow prison near the presidential palace, shattered months of calm in the capital.
Witnesses reported heavy explosions and gunfire as militants disguised as soldiers stormed the facility on Saturday evening, attempting to free imprisoned members of their group. Authorities confirmed that none of the inmates escaped and that all the attackers were neutralized.
A witness, Halima Hassan, described fleeing in fear when the fighting erupted. Ambulances rushed nearly 25 wounded individuals to hospitals, though the exact number of casualties among security forces remains unclear.
The attack came just hours after the government removed long-standing roadblocks across Mogadishu—measures originally put in place to protect key government buildings.
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia condemned the raid, calling it a cowardly act that shows al-Shabab’s disregard for human life and its efforts to undermine Somalia’s progress toward peace and stability.
Mogadishu had enjoyed a relative period of peace as government troops, supported by local militias and African Union forces, pushed al-Shabab fighters out of key regions in central and southern Somalia.