African Union Helicopter Crashes at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia | Emergency Response Underway

African Union Helicopter Crashes at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia: A military helicopter from the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle airport on Tuesday and burst into flames, according to state-run SONNA news.

The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account. The fire has been contained.

The helicopter was coming from Ballidogle Airfield in Lower Shabelle region with 8 people on board. At least 3 people have been confirmed dead, said Artan Mohamed, head of the immigration office at Aden Abdulle airport.

The helicopter was originally from the Ugandan Air Force but was being operated by the African Union peacekeeping mission, he said.

The aircraft was part of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which is tasked with fighting the Al-Shabaab militant group.

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The state media agency Sonna said the AUSSOM helicopter, carrying eight people, "crashed during landing at Mogadishu's Aden Adde Airport this morning after departing Balidoogle".

It’s not clear if there are casualties. An AUSSOM spokesperson couldn’t be reached for comment.

"We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter," Farah Abdulle, who works at the airport, told Reuters. "The smoke entirely covered the helicopter."

AUSSOM has over 11,000 personnel in Somalia to help the country’s military counter Islamist group al Shabaab.

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Al Shabaab has been fighting for nearly two decades to topple Somalia’s internationally recognised government and establish its own rule based on strict sharia law.

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

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