By Our Reporter
Tragedy struck the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) on Wednesday morning after a Mi-24 combat helicopter crashed near Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu, killing five Ugandan soldiers and injuring six others, including three civilians.
The ill-fated aircraft, bearing tail number AUO-015, was on a routine combat escort mission from Baledogle military airbase when it went down at approximately 7:30 a.m., just 200 metres east of the airport’s North Ramp.
According to UPDF spokesperson Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye, the helicopter was carrying eight personnel, including six crew members and two additional UPDF operatives.
“The pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer survived but sustained serious injuries, including severe burns,” maj gen kulayigye confirmed. “Unfortunately, five of our comrades on board perished in the crash.”
The crash triggered a detonation of onboard munitions, causing significant structural damage to nearby installations and injuring three civilians. Emergency responders from the airport, the United Nations, and the AUSSOM Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit swiftly moved in to secure the area.
All injured individuals — both UPDF personnel and civilians — were evacuated to AUSSOM Sector 1 Level II Hospital in Mogadishu for emergency treatment.
The names of the deceased have been withheld pending notification of next of kin. Aviation authorities, in collaboration with the UPDF and AUSSOM, have launched a formal investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
A Pattern Of Risk
This is not the first time Uganda has faced deadly air mishaps in the course of its peacekeeping mission in Somalia. In August 2012, three UPDF Mi-24 helicopters crashed in Kenya’s Mount Kenya region en route to Mogadishu, claiming the lives of seven soldiers. Another UPDF chopper crash-landed in January 2014, causing injuries but no fatalities.
Such incidents have raised concerns about the condition of air assets, pilot training, and the growing risks faced by troops serving in volatile environments.
Uganda was the first country to deploy troops under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in 2007, and remains a leading force under its successor, AUSSOM (African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia).
The Mi-24 helicopter that crashed played a key role in combat escort, logistics, and aerial support operations.
The crash is a significant blow to ongoing efforts to stabilize Somalia, especially as troop-contributing countries, including Uganda, have voiced concerns over underfunding and operational overstretch of the mission.
During an April address in Kampala, President Yoweri Museveni stressed the urgent need for international support:
As Uganda mourns its fallen soldiers, the crash casts a renewed spotlight on the dangers of peacekeeping, the resilience of the UPDF, and the ongoing regional efforts to restore peace and security in Somalia.