MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government has confirmed that all seven al-Shabab militants involved in an attack on a high-security prison in the capital, Mogadishu, have been killed.
The assault on Godka Jilicow—a heavily fortified detention centre housing al-Shabab fighters and other high-profile detainees—commenced on Saturday evening with a massive explosion, quickly followed by intense gunfire.
The facility is strategically located near the Somali presidential palace, placing it in one of the most heavily guarded areas of the capital and is managed by Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).
In a statement released shortly after the incident, the al-Qaeda affiliated militant group, al-Shabab, claimed responsibility for the raid. The group asserted that it successfully released “all the Muslim prisoners” from the facility and inflicted heavy casualties on the prison guards.
However, government-run news agency Sonna Live reported on Sunday that the attackers gained entry by disguising themselves as soldiers—a significant security lapse that is expected to trigger questions about access control within the Nisa-manned facility.
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While the government did not provide a specific casualty figure for its security forces, it extended its condolences to the families of “the fallen heroes.” Al-Shabab likewise did not disclose the number of its own militants killed during the assault, which began at approximately 16:40 local time (13:40 GMT).
The successful infiltration of Godka Jilicow marks a major blow to Nisa, particularly coming only hours after the government had reopened several major roads in Mogadishu, citing recent improvements in the city’s security situation.
Al-Shabab has waged a brutal insurgency against Somalia’s government for nearly two decades.
