Five Soldiers Reportedly Perish In UPDF Helicopter Crash

As a cloud filled with smoke hovers above the Aden Ade International Airport in Somali capital Mogadishu. Details coming in indicate that 5 UPDF officers have perished in the helicopter crash which involved a Ugandan military chopper.

The helicopter was part of the African Union Transition Mission In Somalia went down shortly after attempting to land at the Aden Adde Airport while enroute from the Baledogle military airbase. Emergence response teams were immediately dispatched to the crash site.

According to a statement released by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, three of the 8 onboard were rescued and rushed to the AUSSOM level II hospital in Mogadishu for medical attention.

Aviation authorities in Mogadishu haven’t yet determined the cause of the crash but have since commenced investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding this fatal crash.

The crash comes just 9 days after another 7 UPDF soldiers were killed in a one on one battle confrontation with the Al-Shabaab during the operation codenamed “Operation Silent Storm” which led to the elimination of 30 enemy terrorists, recovery of weapon caches and dismantling of numerous Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs).

AUSSOM Statement on Helicopter Crash at Mogadishu Airport.

— AUSSOM (@aussom_) July 2, 2025