MOGADISHU: Five inmates believed to be associated with Somalia’s Al-Shabaab group, along with three guards, were killed in a shootout during an attempted jail break at the main facility in Mogadishu on Saturday, according to prison officials and witnesses.
Members of the Al-Shabaab group, who are incarcerated for their roles in the long-running insurgency, reportedly acquired weapons and executed a coordinated escape attempt.
Colonel Abdiqani Khalaf, spokesperson for the Somali Custodian Corps, confirmed the incident in a press briefing, stating that the situation has since stabilized.
He reported casualties of five prisoners and three soldiers killed, with several others injured, all of whom are receiving medical treatment. Witnesses nearby described hearing grenade explosions and gunfire during the incident.
Al-Shabaab, known for previous attacks across Somalia, including in Mogadishu, has been involved in ongoing conflicts with government forces and international allies, despite a relative decrease in recent attacks.
