Somalia: Al-Shabaab Claims It Shot Down Helicopter During AU Evacuation in Central Somalia

Mogadishu, Somalia — Somalia’s Al-Shabaab militant group has claimed responsibility for shooting down a helicopter near its stronghold in the Middle Shabelle region, during an evacuation mission by Burundian troops under the African Union’s AUSSOM mission, officials said Tuesday.

The helicopter was transporting Burundian peacekeepers from the flood-affected village of Hawadley when it went down on Monday. According to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), the aircraft suffered a mechanical failure, prompting an emergency landing near territory controlled by the al-Qaeda-linked group.

All personnel on board, including the pilot and troops, evacuated safely and were later recovered and transferred to a nearby military base. The helicopter, left behind at the site, was later captured by Al-Shabaab fighters, who have since circulated images of the wreckage and claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft.

Local sources and Somali officials could not independently verify the claim. AUSSOM maintains that the incident was due to a technical malfunction and not enemy fire.

Following the AU withdrawal, local officials reported that Al-Shabaab may have re-entered Hawadley, a strategic village near Jowhar, the capital of Hirshabelle State, where the group retains significant influence.

Kareem Adebayo, the acting Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson for Somalia, commended the Burundian troops for their “swift and professional response” and reaffirmed the AU’s continued support to Somalia amid worsening flooding and persistent security threats.

By Shabelle.