UN Helicopter Captured by al-Shabab in Somalia

A United Nations helicopter was captured by al-Shabab fighters in Somalia on Wednesday. Somalia’s government spokesperson said that government is working to rescue the passengers of the helicopter.

The helicopter took off from the city of Beledweyne and landed close to Gadoon village in the Galgaduud region due to a technical glitch, as per media reports.

Somalia Information Minister Daud Aweis told media that the government has been undertaking efforts to rescue the crew since yesterday when the accident happened, and efforts still go on. He did not provide any other details.

According to the reports, there were nine passengers on



the plane, including military personnel and a third-party contractor. At least six of the passengers were reportedly seized by al-Shabab.

In a brief statement on Wednesday, the UN said  that response efforts were underway.

Al-Shabab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda, has been trying to overthrow the Somali government since 2006 in a bid to establish its own rule. It has thousands of fighters, most in its strongholds in the centre and south of the country. A government offensive since 2022 has managed to recapture some territory in central Somalia, but the campaign suffered significant setbacks last year.