At least eight killed in shootout during Somalia prison breakout attempt
Al Jazeera
Three soldiers and five prisoners killed after armed inmates made an attempt to escape, says Somali army spokesperson.
At least eight people have been killed after gunfire erupted between security forces and inmates at a prison in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
The confrontation broke out on Saturday at the city’s main prison when armed inmates attempted to escape, prompting an exchange of fire that left five prisoners and three soldiers dead, said Colonel Abdiqani Khalaf, spokesperson for the Somali army’s custodial corps.
“Violent elements tried to stir terror in the central prison,” said Khalaf.
Eighteen other prisoners and three soldiers were wounded in the incident, he said. No prisoners escaped.
Security sources said that the inmates who had attempted to escape were from al-Shabab, the al-Qaeda-linked group. Having obtained weapons, they had launched what appeared to be a well-orchestrated escape plan.
