Somali security forces have repelled a major al-Shabab assault on Mogadishu’s Godka Jilacow prison, killing seven militants after a six-hour siege on Saturday night near the presidential palace. According to government officials, all attackers were neutralized and no inmates escaped during the raid on the heavily guarded facility, which is run by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). The assailants, disguised as Somali soldiers, detonated explosives and exchanged heavy gunfire with security forces in what authorities described as a failed attempt to free detained al-Shabab members.
Witnesses reported scenes of panic and chaos as explosions rocked the capital. “We thank God for sparing us from this disaster. We fled as soon as the fighting began,” said Halima Hassan, a resident near the prison. Emergency services transported at least 25 wounded people to hospitals, though officials have not confirmed the number of casualties among security personnel.
The attack came just hours after the federal government lifted long-standing roadblocks in Mogadishu — measures initially installed to protect key state institutions but criticized for hampering daily life. The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) condemned the assault, calling it “cowardly” and an attempt to derail progress in restoring peace. “This attack once again demonstrates the group’s utter disregard for human life,” said AU envoy Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene. The assault marks one of the most serious security incidents in Mogadishu this year, despite recent territorial gains by Somali forces and their allies against the al-Qaeda-linked insurgent group.
