Al-Shabaab launches coordinated attack on NISA’s high-security prison in Mogadishu

On Saturday evening, the militant group Al-Shabaab launched a coordinated and deadly attack on one of the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency’s (NISA) key detention facilities in Mogadishu. The assault targeted Godka Jilicow Prison, a maximum-security prison used by NISA to detain and interrogate individuals accused of affiliation with Al-Shabaab and other extremist networks.

The attack began when a group of seven armed militants approached the prison in a vehicle packed with explosives. The attackers reportedly disguised the vehicle, a Toyota pickup truck commonly known locally as Cabdi-Bile, to resemble one of NISA’s official fleet cars.

Dressed in military-style uniforms, the militants successfully passed through several security checkpoints before reaching the facility’s perimeter. Upon entry, they detonated the vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), triggering a massive explosion that was immediately followed by sustained gunfire. Security forces at the facility engaged the attackers, leading to a prolonged fight that lasted several hours. According to official reports, government forces eventually repelled the assault and neutralized all seven assailants.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs, and Reconciliation, authorities condemned the assault as a “cowardly terrorist attack” carried out by “Khawarij Al-Shabaab militants.”

“Security forces successfully repelled the assault within a short period of time, neutralizing all seven assailants involved in the attack,” the statement read. The ministry added that the militants’ use of a repainted vehicle and military uniforms highlighted ongoing security vulnerabilities within the capital.

“This issue highlights the urgent need to inspect and regulate vehicles painted in military colors within the capital,” adding “It is essential to fully implement the laws, procedures, and administrative decisions related to the security of the capital and the control of weapons.”

While the government confirmed the deaths of all attackers, details regarding civilian and security personnel casualties remain unverified. Unconfirmed reports and social media footage appeared to show inmates attempting to flee during the exchange of fire, though authorities have not confirmed whether any prisoners escaped. The full extent of the damage to the facility and surrounding areas has not yet been publicly disclosed.

The assault occurred just hours after Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, accompanied by Governor of the Banadir region and Mayor of Mogadishu Hassan Mohamed Hussein (Mungab) and National Intelligence Chief Mahad Salad, announced the reopening of 50 roads in the capital that had previously been closed for security reasons.

The recent attack on Godka Jilicow fits into a broader pattern of Al-Shabaab operations targeting detention and correctional facilities across Somalia. Since 2014, the group has repeatedly struck such sites. That year, Al-Shabaab militants assaulted Godka Jilicow using a suicide car bomb and grenades. Three years later, in 2017, a suicide bomber struck Mogadishu’s central prison. In 2020, an inmate at the same facility seized a guard’s weapon, triggering a shootout and attempted escape. The following year, in 2021, Al-Shabaab fighters attacked Bosaso Central Prison in Puntland, freeing more than 400 inmates. Most recently, in July 2024, prisoners inside Mogadishu Central Prison launched an armed breakout attempt using smuggled firearms and grenades.

In a recent interview with the BBC, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated that Al-Shabaab “is weaker compared to its past,” but acknowledged that the group “remains a serious challenge to the security of the country.”

Although Al-Shabaab has regained control of several strategic towns in south-central Somalia in recent months, Mogadishu had experienced a period of relative calm, with no major attacks reported in the capital for an extended time. The latest assault therefore marks a setback to the perception of improved security. It also underscores that, despite government claims of progress, Al-Shabaab still retains the capability to disrupt security in Mogadishu, particularly during the politically sensitive period the country is currently facing.

The ongoing deadlock over the elections remains unresolved. On September 25, the city witnessed armed clashes between opposition supporters and police forces, resulting in the death of a member of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire’s security detail.