Al-Shabab Mounts Large-Scale Assault on Mogadishu High-Security Prison

Al-Shabaab militants launched a coordinated attack on the high-security Godka Jilacow prison in Mogadishu, near the presidential palace, involving a suicide car bomb followed by an armed assault. The prison serves as a detention center for captured al-Shabaab fighters and a key intelligence hub for Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency. The group claimed the attack aimed to release prisoners, while Somali government forces engaged in intense combat to repel the militants and prevent them from breaching the inner cells. Witnesses reported heavy gunfire and explosions lasting about an hour, with ambulances transporting casualties to hospitals. The government confirmed that some attackers were killed and emphasized ongoing operations to eliminate remaining militants. This incident underscores al-Shabaab's persistent threat despite efforts to stabilize Somalia's capital and central regions.