At least six prisoners killed in Mogadishu prison shoot-out

At least six prisoners were killed and six others wounded in a shoot-out inside a prison in the Somali capital, Mogadishu on Monday.

There were conflicting reports of how the prisoners, all said to be members of the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab, got hold of the weapons.

“There was heavy shooting inside the prison where some inmates managed to get hold of firearms and started shooting the guards,” security officer Abdi Dhere told the AFP news agency.

“It is not clear how the prisoners ended up having access to guns.”

Another security source said one of the prisoners snatched a rifle from a guard.

Two prison guards were killed in the attack, General Mahad Abdirahman Aden, the country’s prison chief, told national TV.

Information ministry spokesman Ismael Mukhtar Omar said the situation in the prison was now back to normal.

“All those inmates who were involved in the fighting were killed,” he said in a statement.

Hassan Kulmiye, a police officer, told DPA news agency the prisoners were able to capture parts of the complex and it took security forces nearly two hours to end the siege.

At least six prisoners were killed and six others wounded in a shoot-out inside a prison in the Somali capital, Mogadishu on Monday.

There were conflicting reports of how the prisoners, all said to be members of the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab, got hold of the weapons.

“There was heavy shooting inside the prison where some inmates managed to get hold of firearms and started shooting the guards,” security officer Abdi Dhere told the AFP news agency.

“It is not clear how the prisoners ended up having access to guns.”

Another security source said one of the prisoners snatched a rifle from a guard.

Two prison guards were killed in the attack, General Mahad Abdirahman Aden, the country’s prison chief, told national TV.

Information ministry spokesman Ismael Mukhtar Omar said the situation in the prison was now back to normal.

“All those inmates who were involved in the fighting were killed,” he said in a statement.

Hassan Kulmiye, a police officer, told DPA news agency the prisoners were able to capture parts of the complex and it took security forces nearly two hours to end the siege.