MOGADISHU: 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.
