Thursday May 29, 2025
FILE - Security personnel walk outside the Puntland Central Prison in Galkayo, Somalia. The facility, which houses inmates convicted of serious crimes including murder and drug trafficking, was targeted in a militia-led assault on May 29, 2025, in an attempted jailbreak.
Galkayo (HOL) — Armed militia fighters attacked the central prison in Galkayo early Thursday in an apparent attempt to free high-risk inmates, sparking a firefight with Puntland security forces.
Gunfire broke out as the attackers tried to breach the prison's perimeter. Officials say the situation was brought under control, but it remains unclear whether any inmates escaped. No confirmed reports of casualties have been released.
The prison, located in Puntland's Mudug region, holds inmates convicted of serious crimes, including murders, bombings, and drug trafficking. Many have been sentenced to death by Puntland's military court for offences tied to the militant group Al-Shabaab. The facility has long been viewed as a high-value target due to the number of high-profile detainees it houses.
Thursday's attempt marks the third major breach or attempted breach of Galkayo prison since 2022, highlighting persistent security lapses despite the facility's high-risk profile. In August 2024, four Al-Shabaab militants sentenced to death escaped from the same prison under unclear circumstances.
A similar raid over four months ago left one person dead, and two others wounded when gunmen attempted a forced jailbreak.
The assault on Thursday also fits into a broader pattern of militant efforts to break out imprisoned fighters across Somalia. In July 2024, a foiled escape at Mogadishu Central Prison led to the deaths of three guards and five militants. In 2021, Al-Shabaab fighters allegedly freed over 400 inmates in a raid on a prison in Bosaso, Puntland's largest city.
Authorities say an investigation is underway, and additional forces have been deployed to secure the facility.
Galkayo, which sits along a dividing line between regional administrations, has experienced frequent clashes involving clan militias and criminal networks. Security officials say the city remains vulnerable to coordinated attacks on high-value targets.
UPDATE : This story has been updated to include background on previous jailbreaks at Galkayo prison, including an August 2024 escape involving Al-Shabaab militants. It also adds context on Puntland’s handling of high-risk inmates and broader security concerns in Somalia.