Mogadishu, Somalia (AP)-Somali government forces successfully ended a siege of six hours by militants in an important prison located near the president’s office in the capital, Mogadiscio, killing the seven attackers, the government said on Sunday.
The Government said that no civilians or security officers were killed in Saturday’s attack, which was claimed by the militant group Al-Shabab linked by Al-Qaeda who in the past has organized numerous attacks in Somalia.
Saturday’s attack occurred only a few hours after the Federal Government raised several long -standing obstacles in Mogadiscio. The barriers had been in force for years to safeguard critical government sites, but many residents argued that traffic and trade obstructed.
Mogadiscio had been relatively quiet in recent months when government forces, backed by local militias and troops from the African Union, expelled Al-Shabab fighters from several areas in the center and south of Somalia.
The government said no prisoner escaped from the prison of Godka Jilacoow during the attack.
The owner of a private ambulance, Abdulkadir Adam, said his vehicles had transported almost 25 patients from the scene to several hospitals.
A private hospital director, Abdulkadir Yousuf Abdullahi, said his installation received an un specified patient number, provided emergency and salvation care, and was working to identify patients and connect them to their loved ones.
The state media of Somalia reported that the militants used a vehicle disguised as resembling those of the security forces of the Intelligence Unit.
(Tagstotranslate) Government forces