MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Armed assailants launched a brazen assault on a prison in northern Galkayo, central Somalia, early Thursday in an apparent attempt to free a recently condemned inmate, Caasimada Online news website reported.
The attack triggered a fierce, hour-long gun battle with prison guards. Officials confirmed that the jailbreak attempt was thwarted, and additional security forces have since been deployed to reinforce the facility.
The targeted inmate had been sentenced to death for a murder committed in a nearby village, according to local officials. Authorities did not immediately disclose the number of casualties, and the fate of the attackers remains unclear. No arrests have been confirmed.
The incident rekindles memories of a similar prison break in Galkayo several years ago, when dozens of inmates — including suspected Al-Shabaab operatives — escaped. Most remain at large.
Attacks on security installations in Puntland have grown increasingly frequent in recent years, often carried out with impunity. Armed groups have exploited lapses in local enforcement, mounting hit-and-run operations with little resistance or pursuit.
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