In Somalia, members of Al-Shabaab launched an assault on a UN helicopter that had to make an unplanned landing in an area controlled by rebels. The attack resulted in the death of one passenger and the kidnapping of five others.
The Minister of Internal Security for Galmudug state in central Somalia, Mohamed Abdi Aden Gaboobe, stated that a helicopter was forced to land in Xindheere village on Wednesday due to engine malfunction.
According to him, there were six non-Somali individuals and one Somali citizen on board. One individual was fatally shot while attempting to flee, and another person is currently unaccounted for.
The UN’s representative, Stephane Dujarric, stated that a helicopter contracted by the UN was involved in an incident in Galmudug today.
He stated that, in order to ensure the safety of the passengers, he would refrain from sharing specific information. However, he did mention that efforts are being made to address the situation and his team is actively working on resolving it.
The passengers’ nationalities were not immediately known.
A representative from the aviation department stated that the helicopter was carrying both medical professionals and soldiers, and was en route to Wisil town for a medical evacuation.
In the past few months, Al-Shabaab has increased its assaults on Somali military bases following the loss of some rural territory to a military operation spurred by the Somali president’s declaration of a “total war” against the group.
The extremist group Al-Shabaab maintains control over certain regions in southern and central Somalia and persists in launching assaults in the city of Mogadishu and surrounding areas. Additionally, they are known to extort large sums of money from local residents and businesses as part of their goal to establish an Islamic state.
Due to the prevalent lack of safety, the UN and other humanitarian organizations rely on air travel to navigate Somalia. The UN’s presence in this region of Africa aims to provide aid to a country that frequently experiences severe droughts and has an underdeveloped healthcare system.
The United Nations mission also assists a multinational African Union peacekeeping force of 19,000 troops who have started to withdraw from the nation in stages. The goal is to transfer security duties to Somali forces in the next few months. However, some experts believe that the Somali forces are not prepared for this responsibility.
The government of Somalia recently expressed appreciation for the UN Security Council’s decision to end the arms embargo that has been in place for over 30 years. They believe this will aid in the updating of Somalia’s military forces.
Dujarric reported that António Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, had a discussion with Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on Wednesday regarding the recent agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland. This agreement, signed on January 1st, allows landlocked Ethiopia to use a portion of Somaliland’s coastline for access.
The president of Somalia has declined the deal, stating that it goes against international laws.
“The secretary-general reminded that the security council has consistently reaffirmed the importance of upholding Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity,” stated Dujarric. He also expressed his desire for all parties to participate in peaceful and productive discussions, and to avoid any actions that may escalate the current situation.
Source: theguardian.com
