Helicopter on African Union mission crashes in Somalia, killing 5 Ugandan soldiers

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Five Ugandan soldiers were killed when a military helicopter serving the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed Wednesday at an airport in the capital, Mogadishu, according to Ugandan authorities.

The Mi-24 helicopter was arriving from an airfield in the Lower Shabelle region with eight people on board at the time of the crash. It 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,” and the pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer survived the crash with serious injuries and burns.

Ahmed Moalim Hassan, director-general of the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority, told state media that investigations are 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.”

Minor delays were reported at the Aden Adde airport, but flights and other operations have since resumed.

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The African Union peacekeeping mission, known as AUSSOM, is helping Somali authorities to fight al-Shabab, a rebel group that opposes the presence of foreign troops in the Horn of Africa nation.

The mission includes troops from countries including Uganda and Kenya.

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Associated Press writer Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda, contributed reporting.