Militant Fighters Disguise as Military Personnel to Storm Somali Prison

Seven al-Shabab fighters who launched an attack on a high-security detention facility in the capital have been killed, according to official announcements.

A huge blast and intense shooting were reported coming from the detention center - a complex that detains militant fighters - in the capital on Saturday evening.

In a statement, the militant group stated it had released "all detained inmates" from the prison and inflicted heavy losses on guards protecting the center.

The attackers disguised themselves as soldiers in order to gain entry the prison, according to reports published on the following day.

The government did not disclose how many of its personnel were killed during the incident, but expressed condolences to the families of "the fallen heroes."

Likewise, al-Shabab did not provide a death toll for its own fighters.

The clash commenced at around 4:40 PM in the afternoon (1:40 PM GMT).

The detention center is located near the Somali palace compound, in the center of the capital. It is manned by Somalia's intelligence service and holds militant fighters and other notable detainees.

The assault 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 areas in the capital.

The militant group is affiliated to al-Qaeda and has conducted a brutal campaign against the government in the country for almost 20 years.

Just hours before Saturday's incident took place, the authorities had reopened access to major thoroughfares in Mogadishu which were previously closed for safety reasons, pointing to improvements in the urban security situation.