Somali prison warders arrested for smuggling weapons

At least 27 people, among them 12 prison warders, have been arrested for smuggling weapons into a Somali prison.

The weapons were used in last week’s shootout between jailed militant Islamists and security officers during an attempt to escape a heavily guarded prison in the capital, Mogadishu,

Somali Justice Minister Hassan Hussein announced the arrests after a special investigation team finished a probe on the attack.

Pistols, ammunition and hand grenades were smuggled into the prison, according to radio Muqdisho’s report.

Nine inmates and six civilians are among those arrested.

The prison warden Col Adan Hussein Kulmiye, who was fired after the attack, and his deputy have been arrested.

At least 19 people, including soldiers, al-Shabaab attackers, and inmates, were killed in the Aug. 10 attack claimed by Somali-based al-Qaeda affiliated group al-Shabaab.