A tragic military aviation accident shook Mogadishu on Wednesday morning when a helicopter operated by the African Union peacekeeping mission crashed and caught fire upon landing at Aden Abdulle International Airport. The crash, which occurred around 7:30 am local time, has left at least three people dead, several injured, and five others still unaccounted for as of press time.
The aircraft, originally belonging to the Ugandan Air Force, was being flown under the command of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM)—the regional peacekeeping operation tasked with combating the persistent threat of the extremist group al-Shabab.
The ill-fated helicopter had departed from Balli-doogle Airfield, a known military installation located in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, and was en route to Mogadishu when disaster struck during final descent.
According to Artan Mohamed, who heads immigration services at the Mogadishu airport, the helicopter was carrying eight personnel at the time of the crash. “The aircraft suddenly lost control as it approached the runway. It struck the ground with force and immediately burst into flames,” he told Africa Live News.
Initial reports confirmed three fatalities, but the fate of the remaining five passengers remained uncertain. Ugandan military spokesperson Brigadier General Felix Kulaigye stated that three crew members managed to escape the burning wreckage but suffered serious burns and were rushed to a local hospital for emergency treatment.
“The remaining five are yet to be accounted for,” Kulaigye said in a somber briefing Wednesday afternoon. “Search and rescue operations are ongoing as we work to determine the full toll of this heartbreaking incident.”
In a statement issued hours later, AUSSOM confirmed the survivors were receiving medical attention and extended condolences to the families affected. “We are deeply saddened by this loss. The mission is actively coordinating with Somali authorities to support recovery efforts and establish the cause of the crash,” the statement read.
Witnesses near the crash site described scenes of panic, smoke, and sudden chaos. Omar Farah, an aviation officer stationed at the airport, was among the first responders. “I saw the helicopter spinning in the air, then it dropped very fast. Seconds later, there was a loud impact and then fire,” he said.
Another eyewitness, Abdirahim Ali, a resident living near the airport perimeter, recalled the moment the crash occurred. “There was a huge explosion and smoke everywhere. People started running. We feared it was a terrorist attack at first,” he told Africa Live News.
In a startling revelation, officials confirmed that munitions onboard the helicopter detonated on impact, triggering secondary explosions. The Ugandan army confirmed that three Somali civilians were injured as a result of these explosions. Authorities believe these civilians were within the vicinity of the crash site but were not inside the airport compound.
Airport officials reported minor disruptions to flight operations in the immediate aftermath, but service has since resumed. “We experienced some delays, but flights are now operating normally,” an airport spokesperson confirmed.
The incident comes amid continued military operations led by the African Union and Somali government forces against al-Shabab militants, who have waged a relentless insurgency in Somalia for over a decade. The AU peacekeeping force, rebranded last year as AUSSOM, consists of troops from several African nations, including Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, and Djibouti, all working in tandem to stabilize Somalia and support its transitional government.
Military flights between Balli-doogle and Mogadishu are routine, particularly for the movement of troops, equipment, and mission supplies. Balli-doogle, which also hosts U.S. and other allied forces, has been a strategic location in the campaign against al-Shabab.
Though investigations into the cause of the crash are still in early stages, aviation experts suggest the accident could be linked to mechanical failure or pilot error during descent. The aircraft’s sudden instability moments before landing has raised concerns over maintenance and technical oversight, especially in high-stakes operational zones.
In a preliminary response, Somalia’s Ministry of Defense expressed solidarity with the African Union mission and pledged full cooperation in the ongoing investigation. “This is a moment of great loss. We extend our sympathies to our Ugandan brothers and to the African Union team serving in Somalia. We will work together to understand what went wrong,” the ministry said in a short statement.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, whose troops form one of the largest contingents in AUSSOM, has yet to issue a public statement, but sources within the Ministry of Defense in Kampala indicate that top military officials have been briefed and are closely monitoring the situation.
The African Union, which has spent over a decade in Somalia through various iterations of its peacekeeping forces, continues to face operational challenges including ambushes, IED attacks, and resource constraints. While the mission has made significant progress in pushing militants out of key urban centers, rural areas remain contested, and logistical movements are often fraught with danger.
This latest tragedy underscores the hazards of peacekeeping in volatile environments—and the price often paid by those working behind the scenes to stabilize fragile states.
As Mogadishu mourns the loss, and rescue teams continue to comb through the wreckage for answers, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the risks faced by peacekeepers and the civilians they are tasked to protect.
Further updates are expected in the coming days as authorities complete recovery operations and the African Union conducts a formal inquiry into the crash.
