Militant Members Disguise as Military Personnel to Raid Somali Detention Center

All seven militant attackers who launched an assault on a high-security detention facility in the capital have been neutralized, according to official announcements.

A massive blast and sustained shooting were reported coming from Godka Jilicow - a complex that detains al-Shabab members - in Mogadishu on Saturday.

In a communication, the militant group claimed it had released "all detained prisoners" from the prison and inflicted significant losses on security forces guarding the center.

The militants disguised themselves as military personnel in order to gain entry the prison, according to reports published on the following day.

The authorities did not reveal how many of its personnel were killed during the incident, but expressed sympathies to the families of "the fallen heroes."

Likewise, the militant organization did not provide a death toll for its own fighters.

The fighting began at around 16:40 local time (1:40 PM GMT).

Godka Jilicow is located near the national palace compound, in the heart of the capital. It is operated by the country's National Intelligence and Security Agency and holds militant members and other notable detainees.

The attack represents a major blow to the intelligence agency and is expected to prompt concerns about how the militants were able to enter one of the most heavily guarded areas in the capital.

The militant group is linked to al-Qaeda and has conducted a violent campaign against the government in Somalia for nearly 20 years.

Hours before Saturday's incident occurred, the government had reopened access to major roads in Mogadishu which were previously blocked for security concerns, pointing to progress in the urban security situation.