Militant Members Pose as Soldiers to Storm Somalia's Prison
Seven al-Shabab fighters who launched an assault on a maximum-security detention facility in the capital have been eliminated, according to official announcements.
A huge explosion and sustained shooting were heard coming from Godka Jilicow - a facility that detains militant members - in the capital on Saturday evening.
In a statement, the militant group stated it had freed "all detained inmates" from the prison and inflicted heavy casualties on security forces protecting the center.
The militants posed as soldiers in order to gain entry the prison, according to accounts published on Sunday.
The authorities did not disclose how many of its security forces were killed during the attack, but expressed sympathies to the families of "those who perished."
Likewise, al-Shabab did not release a casualty count for its own militants.
The fighting commenced at around 16:40 local time (1:40 PM GMT).
Godka Jilicow is located near the national presidential palace, in the heart of the capital. It is manned by Somalia's intelligence service and detains al-Shabab members and other high-profile prisoners.
The attack represents a major blow to the intelligence agency and is expected to raise concerns about how the attackers were able to enter one of the most secure areas in the capital.
Al-Shabab is affiliated to the global terrorist network and has conducted a violent insurgency against the government in the country for nearly 20 years.
Hours before the incident took place, the authorities had reopened key roads in the capital which were formerly blocked for safety concerns, citing improvements in the city's security situation.
