The United Nations helicopter was captured by the militant group Al-Shabab after making an emergency landing in the Galgaduud region of Central Somalia.
The helicopter, which belonged to the UN mission in Somalia, reportedly experienced technical difficulties, leading to its forced landing in an area controlled by Al-Shabab.
According to an internal UN memo obtained by Al Jazeera, the helicopter touched down near Gadoon village due to a technical glitch. Al-Shabab militants swiftly seized the opportunity and reportedly took several passengers hostage.
The memo stated that there were a total of nine individuals on board, including military personnel and a third-party contractor. Shockingly, six of them were captured by the armed group, two managed to escape, and one person lost their life under unclear circumstances.
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Major Hassan Ali, providing details of the incident to Reuters, mentioned that the aircraft faced a defect shortly after taking off from Beledweyne city in Central Somalia. The passengers included two Somali men and several foreigners.
The helicopter was also carrying medical supplies and had a mission to transport injured soldiers from the Galguduud region.
In response to the alarming situation, the UN has temporarily suspended all flights in the vicinity until further notice, as mentioned in the memo.
The capture of a UN helicopter and the abduction of its passengers mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict with Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked group that has been a source of violence in the Horn of Africa for several years.
The Somali government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident, leaving the international community concerned about the safety of the captured individuals and the broader implications for UN operations in the region.
