Somali Troops End Deadly Al-Shabaab Attack on High-Security Intelligence Facility  

MOGADISHU – Somali security forces on Saturday ended a prolonged assault by al Qaeda-linked group al Shabaab on a high-security intelligence prison in Mogadishu, killing all seven attackers who stormed the facility following a car bomb blast at the main gate, according to a government statement.

The attack began at around 4:40 p.m. local time when a vehicle laden with explosives detonated at the entrance of Godka Jilicow, an underground detention centre operated by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), used primarily to interrogate detained al Shabaab operatives.

Following the explosion, seven al-Shabaab fighters disguised in NISA uniforms and riding in a vehicle marked with the agency’s insignia entered the compound and engaged in a firefight with security personnel that lasted several hours.

“All seven attackers were neutralised, and security forces have regained full control of the facility,” the statement said.

The assault came just hours after the Somali government began removing dozens of roadblocks across Mogadishu that had been in place for more than 15 years due to persistent security threats. The government said the move was aimed at easing movement and restoring normalcy in the capital.

The incident underscores al Shabaab’s persistent ability to strike heavily guarded targets in the capital despite ongoing military offensives by Somali government forces, backed by U.S. airstrikes in southern and central Somalia.

The attack has raised renewed concerns over the security of key government installations at a time when authorities claim to be making significant progress in their fight against the Islamist insurgency.

GAROWE ONLINE