MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali security forces on Saturday repelled a complex attack by Al-Shabaab militants on a high-security intelligence agency headquarters in the capital, Mogadishu, killing all seven assailants, the government said.
The brazen daylight assault on the Jilacow interrogation center, a key facility of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), shatters a period of relative calm in the city and underscores the persistent threat posed by the Al-Qaeda-linked group.
In an official statement, the Somali federal government confirmed that its forces “swiftly responded and successfully neutralized all seven terrorists who attempted to storm the facility.” The attack was brought to an end “in a short period,” the statement added.
While the government did not release figures on its own casualties, it offered condolences “to the families and security forces for the heroes who were martyred,” indicating that government forces suffered fatalities.
The militants used sophisticated tactics, disguising themselves in military uniforms and using a vehicle painted with the insignia of the armed forces to bypass security checkpoints in the heavily fortified capital.
Security lapses exposed
The government acknowledged the attack exposed “security vulnerabilities that need to be addressed urgently.” It issued new directives to all security agencies to strictly enforce protocols on the movement of weapons and military vehicles within Mogadishu to prevent militants from exploiting such disguises in the future.
“This highlights the urgent need to control and inspect vehicles painted in military colours inside the capital,” the statement read.
The Jilacow facility is one of Somalia’s most sensitive detention and interrogation centers, notorious for holding high-value suspects, and has been targeted by Al-Shabaab in the past. An attack in 2014 also saw militants attempt to free prisoners held there.
The government framed the attack as an act of desperation, coming just a day after Somali forces, supported by allied militias, announced significant gains against the jihadists in the southern Lower Shabelle region. The military said it had liberated the strategic towns of Awdheegle, Raqayle, Shaangarre, and Malabo.
“Today’s terrorist attack reflects the desperation of the enemy after they suffered a major blow in the Lower Shabelle region yesterday,” the government said.
Somalia’s government, with backing from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and international partners, has been engaged in a sustained offensive against Al-Shabaab for over a year.
Despite initial successes, the campaign has faced stiff resistance, with the militant group retaining control over vast swathes of rural territory and the ability to launch high-profile attacks on urban centers.
In a related development, the government also claimed to have killed several senior Al-Shabaab leaders in recent airstrikes in southern Somalia, including a key figure in the group’s intelligence and explosives wing.
The statement named Mohamed Osman Mohamed, also known as “Tuutax,” as among those killed in the strikes on Jilib, Mubaarak, Ugunji, and Kuunya-Barrow. He was described as the deputy head of the “Amniyat,” Al-Shabaab’s feared intelligence and assassination unit, and was responsible for procuring explosive materials.
Fragile calm shattered
The assault comes as a stark reminder of Mogadishu’s fragile security. In recent months, the capital had experienced a lull in major attacks, leading authorities to begin normalizing life by reopening 52 roads that had been blocked for security reasons.
Just a day earlier, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre had hailed the reopening of the roads as a sign of growing public confidence and security gains.
Al-Shabaab, which has been waging a brutal insurgency against the internationally-backed federal government for more than 15 years, seeks to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law in the Horn of Africa nation. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the group remains one of Al-Qaeda’s most effective affiliates.