Five UPDF soldiers killed in Somalia helicopter crash, three rescued

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The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, confirmed that five personnel on board a helicopter operated by the Ugandan contingent under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) died after it crash-landed at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport.

Major General Felix Kulayigye, the Director of Defence Public Information, said the helicopter crash-landed in Somalia’s capital after departing from Baledogle Military Airbase on Wednesday morning.

“This morning at approximately 07:30 hours, a UPDF Mi-24 helicopter, aircraft tail number AUO-015, crashed approximately 200 metres east of the north ramp at Mogadishu International Airport. The helicopter was conducting a routine combat escort mission when the incident occurred,” Maj. Gen. Kulayigye said in a statement.

According to the army, eight personnel were on board, including six crew members.

“The impact triggered a detonation of onboard munitions, causing significant damage to nearby structures and injuring three civilians. The pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer survived the crash but sustained serious injuries and severe burns. They were evacuated, along with the three injured civilians, to the AUSSOM Sector 1 Level II Hospital for treatment,” the statement read.

A joint emergency response team comprising firefighters from Mogadishu International Airport and the United Nations, alongside AUSSOM’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel, was deployed to manage the scene and support rescue operations.

“An official investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash. Quick recovery to the injured and may the souls of the deceased comrades rest in peace,” Maj. Gen. Kulayigye added.

By press time, the cause of the crash had not been established. Kulayigye confirmed that a team of investigators would be dispatched to Somalia to work with relevant stakeholders to establish the cause.

AUSSOM also issued a statement on Wednesday confirming that three survivors had been rushed to hospital.

“At around 7:30 am, an African Union helicopter operated by the UPDF contingent crash-landed just before touching down at Aden Abdulle International Airport while en route from Baledogle Military Airbase. Three of the eight passengers on board were immediately rescued and were rushed to the AUSSOM Level II Hospital in Mogadishu for medical attention,” the statement read.

Search and rescue operations were ongoing to recover the remaining passengers and crew.

The crash comes less than a week after Ugandan troops and the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) on June 22, 2025, recaptured the strategic villages of Sabiid and Anole from Al-Shabaab in a three-day joint operation codenamed ‘Operation Silent Storm’. The offensive was aimed at liberating areas under Al-Shabaab control in the Lower Shabelle region.

Several Al-Shabaab fighters were killed during a prolonged siege of their hideouts. The joint forces also seized large quantities of ammunition and cleared improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted in communities and supply routes.

“I commend the brave efforts of our gallant AUSSOM Ugandan troops and the Somali National Army in degrading Al-Shabaab. AUSSOM is fully committed to implementing the Somali Transition Plan, which will culminate in the transfer of security responsibilities to the Somali Security Forces,” said AUSSOM Force Commander, Lieutenant General Sam Kavuma, following the successful operation.

Lt Gen. Kayanja Muhanga. (File)

This development also comes after the Commander Land Force of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Lt Gen. Kayanja Muhanga, visited Somalia to assess ongoing operations under AUSSOM. During his three-day visit, Lt Gen. Muhanga applauded the professionalism and resilience of Ugandan and Somali troops in the successful liberation of the strategic town of Sabiid-Anole from Al-Shabaab militants.

He urged soldiers to remain vigilant, disciplined, and mission-focused, pledging continued support to ensure all terrorist strongholds are neutralised. His visit, described as a morale booster by Sector One Commander Brig. Gen. Joseph Musoke Ssemwanga, reaffirmed the importance of joint operations such as the recently concluded ‘Operation Silent Storm’, which severely weakened Al-Shabaab’s capacity.

The delegation, which included senior UPDF officers, was received by Col Kosia Kuteesa, who led them through the area affected by the conflict. They inspected key infrastructure damaged by Al-Shabaab, including the Sabiid-Anole Bridge, underscoring the continued threat the militants pose and the importance of sustained offensive operations.

Uganda was the first Troop Contributing Country (TCC) to deploy in Somalia in March 2007, later joined by Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and others under the African Union with support from the European Union to combat the al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group.

These joint forces have since significantly weakened Al-Shabaab, pushing them out of Mogadishu and several other key towns.

AUSSOM, a multidimensional AU-led peace support mission, was endorsed by the AU Peace and Security Council on August 1, 2024, and authorised by the UN Security Council under Resolution 2767 on December 27, 2024, for an initial 12-month period.

It succeeded the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and officially began on January 1, 2025. Its mandate is guided by the revised Concept of Operations (CONOPs) and the Joint Report, with clearly outlined timelines.