All seven attackers from the militant group Al-Shabaab are dead after a six-hour standoff in Mogadishu
Somali government forces have successfully repelled a six-hour siege by Al-Shabaab militants at the high-security Godka Jilacow prison, located just steps from the presidential palace in Mogadishu.
The government confirmed late Sunday that all seven attackers were killed in the assault.
The attack occurred on Saturday evening, when explosions and heavy gunfire were reported in the vicinity of the facility, which is operated by Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).
According to local media reports, the assailants disguised themselves as security personnel, using a pickup truck painted in official security colors and wearing military-style uniforms to infiltrate the perimeter. Their objective appeared to be a direct breach of the facility, which houses detainees linked to terrorism and organized crime.
The prison assault came just hours after Somali authorities lifted several long-standing roadblocks in Mogadishu. According to local new agencies, the barriers had long protected key government installations, but many residents criticized them for restricting mobility and hurting local businesses.
Al-Qaeda-linked insurgent groups, in particular Al-Shabaab, have been carrying out regular attacks in several African countries, including those in the Sahel region. The terrorist group continues to carry out raids, bombings, and targeted assassinations in an effort to destabilize the Somali government and regional security structures.
In August, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) said more than 50 Al-Shabaab militants had been killed in joint operations with Somali forces in Bariire, 73km southwest of the capital.
Meanwhile, the Somali breakaway regions of Somaliland and Puntland reached a security cooperation deal after talks in Nairobi, Kenya earlier this month, agreeing to boost collaboration in fighting Al-Shabaab.
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 and functions as a de facto state without international recognition. Puntland, however, remains part of Somalia’s federal system, despite declaring last year its intent to function independently until a federal government is formed.
