An African Union helicopter crashed in Mogadishu, killing five peacekeepers and injuring civilians, while Somalia's army killed a senior al-Shabab leader in a separate operation.

A helicopter operated by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) tragically crashed at the Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, resulting in the deaths of five passengers. The incident was confirmed by Ugandan military spokesperson Felix Kulayigye, who also reported that the remaining three occupants of the helicopter sustained serious injuries, including severe burns. The aircraft had a total of eight people on board at the time of the crash.

The helicopter had departed from Baledogle Airfield in the Lower Shabelle region before attempting to land at the Mogadishu airport. According to AUSSOM, the crash occurred just before the aircraft could safely touch down, around 7:30 a.m. local time (04:30 GMT). The force of the crash triggered an explosion of the munitions onboard, which not only destroyed surrounding structures but also injured three civilians in the vicinity.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and destruction. Abdirahim Ali, a local resident, recounted seeing a massive explosion followed by thick smoke billowing into the sky. Another witness, aviation officer Omar Farah, shared with The Associated Press that he observed the helicopter spinning erratically before it plunged rapidly to the ground.

Following the incident, minor flight delays were reported. However, Ahmed Macalin Hassan, the Director-General of Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority, stated that the situation had been swiftly brought under control. He assured the public that the runway had been cleared and was fully functional, with all flight operations resuming as normal shortly afterward.

The AUSSOM mission currently comprises more than 11,000 personnel deployed across Somalia, with contributions from member countries such as Uganda and Kenya. Their primary objective is to support the Somali military in its ongoing battle against al-Shabab, a militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda. Al-Shabab has long sought to overthrow Somalia’s federal government and replace it with its own version of Islamic rule.

In a related development earlier this week, the Somali army reportedly killed a high-ranking commander of al-Shabab in the Middle Shabelle region. According to the Somali National News Agency, which cited military sources, the targeted operation occurred in the Dar Nama’a area and successfully eliminated the extremist leader as part of the country’s broader counterterrorism campaign.