Five Ugandan soldiers were killed on Wednesday when a military helicopter deployed under the African Union peacekeeping mission crash-landed at Mogadishu’s international airport, according to the Ugandan military.
The helicopter, part of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), was preparing to land when it went down in a fiery crash. Uganda’s military spokesperson, Brigadier General Felix Kulayigye, confirmed that of the eight personnel on board, five died on impact while the remaining three sustained severe burns and injuries.
The crash caused munitions on board to explode, damaging nearby structures and injuring at least three civilians, according to the Ugandan military. “The impact was devastating,” said Kulayigye. “Our thoughts are with the families of the fallen and injured.”
Witnesses at the airport described a large explosion followed by thick black smoke. “We heard the blast and saw flames rising from the wreckage,” said Farah Abdulle, an airport worker.
AUSSOM released a statement confirming that search and rescue operations were quickly launched to assist and evacuate survivors. Somalia’s state news agency, SONNA, earlier reported that the helicopter was fully engulfed in flames after the crash.
The peacekeeping mission, comprising more than 11,000 troops from various African nations, is tasked with supporting Somali forces in their fight against al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked extremist group that has waged a violent insurgency for nearly two decades in a bid to impose strict Islamic rule.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the crash. An investigation is underway.
Written By Rodney Mbua
