Sunday October 5, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali security forces have ended a deadly
hours-long siege by al-Shabaab militants who stormed the Godka Jilaow prison, a
highly fortified detention facility near the Villa Somalia presidential palace
compound in Mogadishu.
The attack began with a car bomb explosion, followed by
gunmen entering the prison, sparking intense clashes with security forces.
According to a statement from the Somali government, seven
attackers were killed during the operation. “The attackers have been
neutralized,” the statement said.
Authorities revealed that the militants used a military
vehicle painted with the colors and emblem of the security forces and wore
uniforms resembling those of the Somali army.
“This allowed them to easily pass through security
checkpoints in the capital, as no formal inspection is conducted on armed
forces vehicles,” the government statement added.
The government noted that the incident underscored the
urgent need to regulate and monitor vehicles painted in military colors within
Mogadishu.
“It is imperative to fully implement the rules, procedures,
and administrative decisions regarding the security of the capital and arms
control,” the statement emphasized.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its
fighters targeted “the underground cell guarded by security forces.” The group
said the assault began with a suicide car bomb, followed by infantry fighters
storming the compound, and claimed casualties among soldiers.
The assault comes as Somali security forces intensify
operations against al-Shabaab in several regions. In the past 24 hours,
government forces conducted raids in Jilib, Mubaarak, Ugunji, and
Kuunya-Barrow, killing senior members of the group, including Mohamed Osman
Mohamed, known as Tuutax — the deputy head of al-Shabaab’s security forces and
head of explosives procurement.