Wamuzi News Ke
In a brazen attack that shattered claims of improved security in Mogadishu, Al-Shabaab militants launched a devastating assault near Somalia’s Presidential Palace, prompting an urgent appeal from the African Union for escalated intervention.
The attack struck Saturday, October 4, targeting the fortified Godka Jilow prison complex, a site notorious for housing suspected Al-Shabaab inmates, located just meters from the Presidential Palace in one of Mogadishu’s most secure districts.
The audacity of the assault—car bombs, gunfire, and a six-hour siege—sent shockwaves across the Horn of Africa.
How It Unfolded.
Official statements reveal the militants used vehicles disguised as government intelligence vehicles and donned military uniforms to bypass checkpoints.
Within moments, explosions rocked the compound, followed by sustained gun battles with security forces. The government later confirmed that all attackers were neutralized, and no inmates escaped.
Al-Shabaab claimed the objective was to free “all Muslim prisoners” held within the complex—an allegation rejected by Somalia’s Interior Ministry.
AU: “This Is a Call to Action”In a statement Sunday, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf condemned the attack and appealed to all Member States, especially those contributing troops to the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), to intensify efforts to “degrade and eliminate” Al-Shabaab and similar extremist groups.
He emphasized that Somalia must receive full support—military, logistical, diplomatic—to restore security and confidence.
The Stakes Are High.
The assault exposes a glaring breach in Mogadishu’s inner security perimeter, undermining narrative of stability.Kenya, contributing about 1,410 KDF personnel to AUSSOM, is directly implicated in the AU’s call to action. Neighboring states and regional security structures will be tested over their resolve to back Somalia more robustly.
