MOGADISHU – Somali security forces on Saturday ended a deadly siege by al-Shabaab militants on a high-security intelligence prison in the capital, Mogadishu, killing all seven attackers, the government said.
The assault targeted Godka Jilaow, an underground detention facility near the heavily guarded Villa Somalia presidential compound. It began with a suicide car bomb at the gate, followed by gunmen storming the prison, triggering hours of intense clashes.
“The attackers have been neutralised,” the information ministry said in a statement, confirming that seven assailants were killed during the operation.
According to officials, the militants used a military vehicle bearing the insignia and colors of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), and wore army-style uniforms — allowing them to bypass several security checkpoints in the capital.
“This deception enabled them to move freely without inspection. It highlights the urgent need to regulate vehicles painted in military colors,” the statement said.
Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating its fighters had targeted “the underground cell guarded by security forces” and claimed to have inflicted casualties.
The group has stepped up attacks in Mogadishu in recent weeks, even as government forces — backed by international allies — continue a major military campaign in southern and central regions.
In the last 24 hours, Somali government said its troops carried out raids in Jilib, Mubaarak, Ugunji and Kuunya-Barrow, killing several senior al-Shabaab members and commanders.
The latest attack raises fresh concerns about militant infiltration and security protocols in the capital, despite ongoing offensives aimed at weakening the group’s hold in rural strongholds.
