Latest news with #LowerShabelle
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Moment military helicopter explodes into ball of flames after crash as it arrived back at airport
Five people have been killed after a Ugandan military helicopter crashed at the main international airport in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. The Mi-24 helicopter with eight people on board was arriving from an airfield in the Lower Shabelle region before it plummeted to the ground and went up in flames. The aircraft had originally belonged to the Ugandan Air Force but was being operated by the African Union peacekeeping mission. Uganda's military said in a statement that the helicopter was on 'a routine combat escort mission' when it crashed at around 7:30am. The pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer survived the crash with serious injuries and severe burns, it said. The impact of the crash had caused munitions on board to detonate, destroying nearby structures and injuring three civilians, Ugandan military spokesperson Felix Kulayigye added. Somalia's state-run news agency reported that the fire was quickly contained by the emergency services at the Aden Adde International Airport. Ahmed Moalim Hassan, director-general of the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority, told state media that investigations are now underway. Aviation officer Omar Farah, who was among the first to reach the crash site, told The Associated Press that he 'saw the helicopter spinning and then it fell very fast.' Abdirahim Ali, a nearby resident, said he saw 'a huge explosion and smoke everywhere.' 'We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter. The smoke entirely covered the helicopter,' Farah Abdulle, one of the staff at the airport, told Reuters news agency. Minor delays were reported at the Aden Adde airport, but flights and other operations have since resumed. The African Union peacekeeping mission, known as AUSSOM, is helping Somali authorities to fight the extremist rebels of al-Shabab, a group that opposes the presence of foreign troops in the Horn of Africa nation. The mission includes troops from countries including Uganda and Kenya. Ugandan forces have been heavily involved in assisting Somalia's government in combating the al-Shabab group, which has been fighting a bloody insurgency and is affiliated with al-Qaeda. Reports indicate that the insurgent group had been forced onto the defensive in 2022 and 2023 by Somali forces backed by African Union-led peacekeepers. Over 10,000 African Union troops are now engaged in Somalia, with roughly half coming from Uganda. The United Nations Security Council authorized the AU forces, and various versions of the peacekeeping mission have been deployed since 2007.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
At least three dead after AU helicopter crashes at airport in Somalia
A helicopter used by an African Union peacekeeping mission has crashed at the international airport in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, killing at least three people, authorities said. The incident occurred at Aden Adde airport on Wednesday as the helicopter was trying to land, according to Artan Mohamed, the head of the immigration office at the airport. The helicopter, which belonged to the Ugandan Air Force but was being operated by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), had taken off from Baledogle Airfield in the Lower Shabelle region with eight people on board, he said. Three of the people on board survived the incident, according to a Ugandan military spokesperson. AUSSOM also confirmed that at least three people had survived the crash, which it said took place at around 7.30am (04:30GMT) local time. The survivors were taken to the AUSSOM hospital, it added, without giving details about their health. Witnesses described the helicopter plummeting to the ground and exploding, causing a fire. Abdirahim Ali, who lives nearby, said he saw 'a huge explosion and smoke everywhere' while aviation officer Omar Farah told The Associated Press news agency that he 'saw the helicopter spinning and then it fell very fast'. Minor delays were reported at the airport, but the director-general of the country's civil aviation authority said that flights had resumed. 'The situation is under control. The runway is clear and fully operational – flights can land and take off as usual,' Ahmed Macalin Hassan noted. The AUSSOM mission has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia from countries including Uganda and Kenya. They are helping the Somali military to counter the armed group al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate that wants to topple the country's government and establish its own rule. This week, the Somali army killed a prominent leader from the group in the Middle Shabelle region, state media reported. Quoting military sources, the Somali National News Agency said the leader was targeted during an operation in the Dar Nama'a area.
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
At least three dead after AU helicopter crashes at airport in Somalia
A helicopter used by an African Union peacekeeping mission has crashed at the international airport in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, killing at least three people, authorities said. The incident occurred at Aden Adde airport on Wednesday as the helicopter was trying to land, according to Artan Mohamed, the head of the immigration office at the airport. The helicopter, which belonged to the Ugandan Air Force but was being operated by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), had taken off from Baledogle Airfield in the Lower Shabelle region with eight people on board, he said. The fate of the remaining five people on board has yet to be determined, said a Ugandan military spokesperson. Witnesses described the helicopter plummeting to the ground and exploding, causing a fire. Abdirahim Ali, who lives nearby, said he saw 'a huge explosion and smoke everywhere' while aviation officer Omar Farah told The Associated Press news agency that he 'saw the helicopter spinning and then it fell very fast'. Minor delays were reported at the airport, but the director-general of the country's civil aviation authority said that flights had resumed. 'The situation is under control. The runway is clear and fully operational – flights can land and take off as usual,' Ahmed Macalin Hassan noted. The AUSSOM mission has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia from countries including Uganda and Kenya. They are helping the Somali military to counter the armed group al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate that wants to topple the country's government and establish its own rule. This week, the Somali army killed a prominent leader from the group in the Middle Shabelle region, state media reported. Quoting military sources, the Somali National News Agency said the leader was targeted during an operation in the Dar Nama'a area.
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
An African Union military helicopter crashes in Somalia's capital, killing at least 3
At least three people were killed when a military helicopter serving the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed Wednesday at the airport in the capital, Mogadishu, according to Somali authorities. The helicopter was arriving from Balli-doogle Airfield in the Lower Shabelle region with eight people on board. 'At least three people have been confirmed killed,' said Artan Mohamed, who heads the immigration office at Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle airport. The helicopter originally belonged to the Ugandan Air Force but was being operated by the African Union peacekeeping mission, he said. Ahmed Moalim Hassan, director-general of the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority, told state media that investigations are underway to determine the full extent of casualties and damage. 'Once the situation is under control and the fire is extinguished by the firefighters, we will know more,' he said. 'The firefighting team is still working to contain the fire – most of it has been put out, but there is still smoke which we hope will be cleared soon.' Aviation officer Omar Farah, who was among the first to reach the wreckage, told the AP he saw the helicopter spinning and then it fell very fast. 'There was a huge explosion and smoke everywhere,' said Abdirahim Ali, a nearby resident who also witnessed the crash. Minor delays were reported at the airport, but flights and other operations have since resumed. The African Union peacekeeping mission, known as ATMIS, is helping Somali authorities fight the terrorist group al-Shabaab, which opposes the presence of foreign troops in the Horn of Africa nation. The mission includes troops from countries such as Uganda and Kenya.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
An African Union military helicopter crashes in Somalia's capital, killing at least 3
At least three people were killed when a military helicopter serving the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed Wednesday at the airport in the capital, Mogadishu, according to Somali authorities. The helicopter was arriving from Balli-doogle Airfield in the Lower Shabelle region with eight people on board. At least three people have been confirmed killed, said Artan Mohamed, who heads the immigration office at Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle airport. The helicopter originally belonged to the Ugandan Air Force but was being operated by the African Union peacekeeping mission, he said. Ahmed Moalim Hassan, director-general of the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority, told state media that investigations are underway to determine the full extent of casualties and damage. 'Once the situation is under control and the fire is extinguished by the firefighters, we will know more,' he said. 'The firefighting team is still working to contain the fire — most of it has been put out, but there is still smoke, which we hope will be cleared soon.' Aviation officer Omar Farah, who was among the first to reach the wreckage, told the AP the he 'saw the helicopter spinning and then it fell very fast.' There was "a huge explosion and smoke everywhere,' said Abdirahim Ali, a nearby resident who also witnessed the crash. Minor delays were reported at the airport, but flights and other operations have since resumed. The African Union peacekeeping mission, known as AUSSOM, is helping Somali authorities to fight the extremist rebels of al-Shabab, which opposes the presence of foreign troops in the Horn of Africa nation. The mission includes troops from countries such as Uganda and Kenya.
