🔗 Share this article Militant Members Pose as Military Personnel to Attack Somalia's Jail Plumes was observed billowing near the government compound on Saturday Seven militant attackers who launched an assault on a maximum-security prison in the capital city have been killed, according to official statements. A massive explosion and intense gunfire were heard coming from Godka Jilicow - a facility that detains militant members - in Mogadishu on Saturday. In a statement, the militant group stated it had freed "all Muslim prisoners" from the prison and inflicted heavy casualties on guards guarding the center. The militants disguised themselves as military personnel in order to access the prison, according to reports published on Sunday. The government did not reveal how many of its personnel were killed during the incident, but offered sympathies to the families of "the fallen heroes." Likewise, al-Shabab did not provide a death toll for its affiliated militants. The confrontation commenced at around 4:40 PM local time (1:40 PM GMT). Godka Jilicow is situated near the national presidential palace, in the heart of Mogadishu. It is manned by Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency and holds militant fighters and other high-profile prisoners. The attack represents a significant setback to the intelligence agency and is likely to prompt questions about how the attackers were able to enter one of the most heavily guarded locations in the capital. The militant group is affiliated to the global terrorist network and has waged a violent insurgency against the authorities in the country for almost 20 years. Hours before the attack took place, the authorities had reopened key roads in the capital which were formerly closed for safety reasons, citing progress in the urban safety.