Gunfire erupted at Mogadishu’s main prison on Saturday as armed inmates attempted to escape, resulting in the deaths of three soldiers and five prisoners. Colonel Abdiqani Khalaf, spokesperson for the Somali army’s custodial corps, confirmed the incident and stated that the violent confrontation occurred when the inmates made their escape attempt.
According to Khalaf, the clash between security forces and the inmates led to an exchange of fire, leaving five prisoners and three soldiers dead. Additionally, eighteen prisoners and three soldiers sustained injuries during the incident. Fortunately, no prisoners managed to escape.
Security sources have revealed that the inmates involved in the escape attempt were affiliated with al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked group. These individuals had acquired weapons and executed a well-coordinated plan to break free from the prison’s confines.
Local witnesses reported hearing grenade blasts and intense gunfire within the prison premises. One witness, Abdirahman Ali, described an explosion followed by a heavy exchange of gunfire. Another witness, Shuceyb Ahmed, shared that his brother, a prison guard, informed him that several al-Shabab inmates had secretly obtained weapons and grenades in their escape bid.
Al-Shabab has been engaged in a long-standing battle to overthrow the fragile central government in Mogadishu, perpetrating numerous bombings and attacks in the capital and other parts of Somalia over the past 17 years. The government, in collaboration with local armed groups, has been actively combating this al-Qaeda affiliate with the support of an African Union force and US air raids. However, the offensive has faced setbacks, with al-Shabab recently claiming control over multiple locations in the country’s center.
