The United Nations indicated on January 10, 2024 that one of its helicopters had “ crashed on landing » in Somalia and that passengers could have been taken hostage by the radical Islamists Shebab.
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In Somalia, a United Nations helicopter crashed on Wednesday in the center of the country, about 70 km southeast of Dhusamareb, capital of Galmudug state. The crash would have taken place in the Shebab zone, “ upon landing “.
Several passengers were reportedly taken hostage by this Somali terrorist group. There are in fact six of them who were kidnapped. A figure to be taken with caution, however. Because, according to the UN, the information could not be “ independently verified “.
There were nine passengers on board. One of them was killed, but no more is known about the circumstances of his death. Two other crew members managed to escape.
According to the United Nations, those on board were subcontractors. They therefore did not belong to UN personnel. One of them is Somali, but the nationality of the other crew members is not yet known.
The helicopter, which took off from Beledweyne, was carrying out an air medical evacuation when a technical problem forced it to make an emergency landing near the village of Hindhere, in the center of the country.
Daud Aweis, Somalia’s information minister, told Reuters on Thursday morning that Somalia’s government had undertaken efforts to rescue the crew. Even if two military officials told the news agency that it would be difficult to intervene where the hostages were taken. Because, estimates one of them, the area has been controlled by the Shebab for more than ten years…
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