Esther Imonmion
Somali security forces have killed seven al-Shabab militants who launched a deadly assault on the Godka Jilacow high-security prison in the capital, Mogadishu, officials said on Sunday.
The attack began on Saturday evening when militants disguised as soldiers stormed the prison complex, located near the presidential palace. Explosions and heavy gunfire were heard for hours as security forces battled the assailants in a six-hour siege.
Government officials said all the attackers were killed and no prisoners escaped during the incident. Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, claimed it had targeted the facility to free detained members.
“We thank God for sparing us from this disaster. We fled the explosion and the skirmishes as soon as they began,” said witness Halima Hassan.
Godka Jilacow, operated by the National Intelligence and Security Agency, is one of the most heavily guarded sites in Mogadishu. A private ambulance operator, Abdulkadir Adam, said his vehicles transported nearly 25 people from the scene to various hospitals. The number of security personnel casualties remains unclear.
The assault occurred just hours after the federal government lifted several long-standing roadblocks across Mogadishu, which had been installed to protect key government installations but were widely criticized for obstructing movement and trade.
Mogadishu had experienced relative calm in recent months as government forces, supported by local militias and African Union troops, reclaimed territories from al-Shabab in central and southern Somalia.
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) condemned the attack as “cowardly.”
“This attack once again demonstrates the group’s utter disregard for human life and its attempts to reverse the hard-won gains in peace and security,” said Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, the AU Special Representative for Somalia.