Militant Members Pose as Military Personnel to Raid Somalia's Detention Center
All seven al-Shabab fighters who launched an assault on a high-security prison in the capital have been killed, according to government statements.
An enormous blast and intense shooting were heard coming from Godka Jilicow - a complex that detains militant fighters - in the capital on Saturday evening.
In a statement, al-Shabab stated it had freed "every Muslim inmates" from the facility and caused heavy losses on security forces guarding the complex.
The attackers disguised themselves as military personnel in order to gain entry the prison, according to reports published on the following day.
The authorities did not disclose how many of its personnel were killed during the attack, but offered sympathies to the families of "the fallen heroes."
Likewise, the militant organization did not provide a death toll for its affiliated fighters.
The fighting started at around 16:40 in the afternoon (13:40 GMT).
Godka Jilicow is located near the national presidential palace, in the heart of Mogadishu. It is operated by Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency and holds al-Shabab fighters and other high-profile detainees.
The attack represents a significant setback to the intelligence agency and is likely to raise questions about how the militants were able to access one of the most heavily guarded locations in the city.
The militant group is affiliated to al-Qaeda and has waged a brutal campaign against the authorities in Somalia for nearly two decades.
Just hours before the incident occurred, the government had reopened access to key thoroughfares in the capital which were previously closed for security reasons, citing improvements in the urban security situation.
