Al-Shabab Fighters Disguise as Military Personnel to Raid Somali Prison
Seven militant fighters who launched an attack on a high-security detention facility in Somalia's capital city have been eliminated, according to government statements.
A huge explosion and intense gunfire were heard coming from Godka Jilicow - a complex that holds militant members - in the capital on Saturday evening.
In a statement, the militant group stated it had released "every detained inmates" from the facility and inflicted significant losses on guards protecting the complex.
The militants posed as soldiers in order to access the detention facility, according to accounts published on the following day.
The authorities did not reveal how many of its security forces were killed during the attack, but expressed sympathies to the families of "those who perished."
Similarly, the militant organization did not provide a casualty count for its affiliated militants.
The confrontation began at around 4:40 PM in the afternoon (1:40 PM GMT).
Godka Jilicow is situated near the national presidential palace, in the center of Mogadishu. It is operated by the country's National Intelligence and Security Agency and holds militant fighters and other notable prisoners.
The assault represents a major blow to the intelligence agency and is expected to prompt concerns about how the attackers were able to enter one of the most heavily guarded areas in the capital.
Al-Shabab is affiliated to al-Qaeda and has waged a brutal insurgency against the government in Somalia for almost 20 years.
Hours before the incident occurred, the authorities had reopened access to key thoroughfares in Mogadishu which were formerly blocked for security concerns, pointing to progress in the city's security situation.
