Mogadisho, Somalia (AP) – explosions and heavy shooting broke nearby Somalia' The Presidential Palace on Saturday in an attack by a combat group aimed at a major prison, a few hours after the federal government raised control points for years on the spot in the capital.
Residents in the Central District of Mogadish in Bond reported that they had heard explosions and shooting and seeing smoke rising from prison, which also serves the headquarters for the regional intelligence unit.
A resident, Hibo Mohamed, said Associated Press by phone: “We are really scared. The city was calm for several months, but now everyone is concerned again. ”
Al-Qaeda is connected Al-Shabab The battle group, which is based in Somalia, took responsibility for the attack, saying that she freed the prisoners.
The government did not immediately comment on the attack, and phone calls and messages to the officials remained unanswered on Saturday.
The state media somali reported that the militants used the vehicle disguised to remind of the security forces of the intelligence unit, and that the soldiers repelled the attack and killed several militants.
The attack was aimed at the Jilakov's Year prison, which was previously attacked in 2014, when Ash Shabab militants sent a bomb with suicide at the gate before storming the complex in an attempt to free the detainees. The Somali forces repelled the attackers in this attack, but at least a dozen people were killed.
The Saturday attack occurred just a few hours after the federal government raised several long obstacles to Mogadisho. For many years, barriers have been to protect critical government sites, but many residents claimed that they made it difficult to move and trade.
Security forces quickly cordoned off roads leading to the scene, while ambulance cars hurried to this area. The number of victims was not immediately clear.
Mogadisho was relatively calm in recent months, since the government forces supported by local militias and troops of the African Union pushed Ashhabab fighters from several areas of Central and South Somalia.
Omar Faruk, Associated Press
