Al-Shabab Militants Launch Deadly Attack on Somali Prison

Fri Oct 10 2025 17:37:50 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A coordinated assault by al-Shabab militants on a high-security prison in Mogadishu results in fatalities, raising questions about security protocols.

In a bold attack, seven al-Shabab militants disguised as soldiers stormed the Godka Jilicow detention center in Mogadishu, resulting in their deaths and raising significant concerns over the security of high-profile detainees like al-Shabab members. While the government confirmed heavy fighting and explosions, it refrained from divulging the number of security forces lost, further emphasizing the need for scrutiny over current protective measures in the area.

Seven al-Shabab militants who attacked a high-security prison in Somalia's capital have all been killed, the country's government has said.

A huge explosion and gunfire were heard coming from Godka Jilicow - a detention centre that holds al-Shabab militants - in Mogadishu on Saturday evening.

In a statement, al-Shabab claimed it released all the Muslim prisoners from the facility and inflicted heavy casualties on those guarding it.

The militants disguised themselves as soldiers to enter the prison, as reported by the government-run news agency Sonna Live.

The government did not specify how many of its security forces were killed during the incident but expressed condolences to the families of the fallen heroes.

Al-Shabab did not provide an exact death toll for its members.

The fighting began around 16:40 local time (13:40 GMT).

Godka Jilicow is located near the Somali presidential palace, in the heart of Mogadishu. It is manned by Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (Nisa) and holds al-Shabab militants and other high-profile detainees.

This attack is a significant blow to Nisa and raises serious questions about how the militants accessed one of the most heavily guarded regions in the capital.

Al-Shabab, which has ties to al-Qaeda, has been engaged in a severe insurgency against the Somali government for nearly 20 years.

Hours before Saturday's attack, the government had reopened key roads in Mogadishu previously closed for security reasons, citing improvements in the city's safety.