MOGADISHU: Al Shabaab militants captured a United Nations helicopter carrying two Somali males and a number of other foreigners when it made an emergency touchdown in an space managed by the militant group, a army official mentioned on Wednesday (Jan 10).
The plane encountered a defect shortly after taking off from Beledweyne metropolis in central Somalia, Main Hassan Ali informed Reuters, earlier than it landed close to Hindhere village, bordering the Galguduud area.
“Two Somali males and a number of other foreigners have been onboard. It was additionally carrying medical provides and it was supposed to move injured troopers from Galguduud area,” he mentioned.
A UN employee who wished to stay nameless mentioned the plane belonged to the United Nations Help Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), and that the crew included 5 foreigners.
Two UN sources acquainted with the matter informed Reuters the plane carried 9 passengers.
Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the identities of these captured or their nationalities.
Al Shabaab, linked to al Qaeda, has been waging an insurgency in opposition to the Somali authorities since 2006 in a bid to ascertain its personal rule based mostly on a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia regulation.
Whereas the federal government has managed to push back the militants from a number of territories because the mid-2010s, al Shabaab controls swathes of land in southern and central Somalia and has continued to focus on civilians and stage assaults on army institutions.
Spokespeople for the Somalia authorities and the UN didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
