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All seven militant attackers who launched an attack on a high-security detention facility in Somalia's capital city have been eliminated, according to official announcements.

A huge blast and sustained gunfire were reported coming from Godka Jilicow - a complex that holds militant fighters - in Mogadishu on Saturday evening.

In a communication, the militant group stated it had released "every detained prisoners" from the facility and caused significant losses on security forces protecting the center.

The militants disguised themselves as military personnel in order to access the detention facility, according to accounts released on the following day.

The government did not disclose how many of its personnel were lost during the incident, but offered condolences to the families of "the fallen heroes."

Similarly, the militant organization did not release a death toll for its affiliated militants.

The confrontation commenced at around 4:40 PM in the afternoon (13:40 GMT).

Godka Jilicow is located near the Somali presidential palace, in the heart of the capital. It is manned by the country's intelligence service and detains militant members and other notable prisoners.

The assault represents a major setback to the intelligence agency and is expected to raise questions about how the attackers were able to access one of the most heavily guarded locations in the city.

The militant group is linked to al-Qaeda and has waged a brutal campaign against the government in Somalia for nearly 20 years.

Hours before the incident occurred, the government had reopened major thoroughfares in Mogadishu which were formerly closed for safety reasons, pointing to progress in the city's safety.