Latest news with #SONNA
Time of India
02-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
‘Huge explosion and smoke everywhere': 3 dead in African Union helicopter crash in Somalia; investigations under way
AP file photo A small military aircraft supporting the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed Wednesday at Mogadishu's airport. The aircraft crashed and caught fire while landing at the Aden Abdulle airport, as per the state-run Somali National News Agency, SONNA. It was en route from Balli-Doogle Airfield in the Lower Shabelle region, reported news agency Associated Press. The aircraft belongs to the African Union Support and Stabilsation Mission in Somalia and was carrying eight army personnel when it crashed. At least three have been declared dead, Arten Mohamed, heading the immigration office at the airport, said. SONNA said on the social platform X that the fire 'has been contained, and authorities are assessing the situation.' Apart from minor delays, flights and other operations have since resumed. 'Once the situation is under control and the fire is extinguished by the firefighters, we will know more,' Ahmed Moalim Hassan, the director-general of the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority, told state media. '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,' he added. Investigation is underway to gauge the full extent of the damage and casualties, Hassan added. Aviation officer Omar Farah, one of the first to reach the crash site, told AP that he 'saw the helicopter spinning and then it fell very fast.' A nearby resident, Abdirahim Ali, who also witnessed the crash, said that there was "a huge explosion and smoke everywhere'. The African Union peacekeeping mission, AUSSOM, is assisting Somali authorities in their battle against al-Shabab, an extremist group that opposes foreign military presence in the Horn of Africa nation. The mission comprises troops from several nations, including Uganda and Kenya.
TimesLIVE
02-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
AU helicopter crashes in Somali capital, state-run media reports
A military helicopter from the African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at the airport in the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday and was engulfed in flames, the state-run SONNA news outlet reported. The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account, adding that the fire had been contained. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties. An AUSSOM spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. "We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter," Farah Abdulle, who works at the airport, told Reuters. "The smoke entirely covered the helicopter." AUSSOM has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia to help the country's military counter Islamist group al Shabaab. The al Qaeda affiliate has been fighting for nearly two decades to topple Somalia's internationally recognised government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of sharia law.
MTV Lebanon
02-07-2025
- General
- MTV Lebanon
African Union helicopter crashes in Somali capital, state-run media reports
A military helicopter from the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at the airport in the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday and was engulfed in flames, the state-run SONNA news outlet reported. The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account, adding that the fire had been contained. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties. An AUSSOM spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. "We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter," Farah Abdulle, who works at the airport, told Reuters. "The smoke entirely covered the helicopter." AUSSOM has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia to help the country's military counter Islamist group al Shabaab. The al Qaeda affiliate has been fighting for nearly two decades to topple Somalia's internationally-recognised government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of sharia law.
Arab News
02-07-2025
- General
- Arab News
African Union helicopter crashes in Somali capital
MOGADISHU: A military helicopter from the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at the airport in the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday and was engulfed in flames, the state-run SONNA news outlet reported. The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account, adding that the fire had been contained. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties. An AUSSOM spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. 'We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter,' Farah Abdulle, who works at the airport, told Reuters. 'The smoke entirely covered the helicopter.' AUSSOM has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia to help the country's military counter Islamist group Al-Shabab. The Al-Qaeda affiliate has been fighting for nearly two decades to topple Somalia's internationally-recognized government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of sharia law.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
African Union helicopter crashes in Mogadishu airport in Somalia
Jul 02, 2025 12:55 PM IST A military helicopter from the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at the airport in the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday and was engulfed in flames, the state-run SONNA news outlet reported. The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing(X/@TheGlobalMonitor) The helicopter from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was carrying eight personnel when it crashed during landing, SONNA said on its X account, adding that the fire had been contained. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties. An AUSSOM spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. "We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter," Farah Abdulle, who works at the airport, told Reuters. "The smoke entirely covered the helicopter." AUSSOM has more than 11,000 personnel in Somalia to help the country's military counter Islamist group al Shabaab. The al Qaeda affiliate has been fighting for nearly two decades to topple Somalia's internationally-recognised government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of sharia law.
