A Ugandan military helicopter crashes at the Mogadishu airport in Somalia, killing five people

Five people were killed when a Ugandan military helicopter carrying the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia crashed at Mogadishu airport on Wednesday, according to a Ugandan military official.

Three more of the eight people inside the helicopter survived the event, however Felix Kulayigye, the spokesperson, reported that they had severe burns and injuries.

“Munition on board detonated due to the impact of the crash, destroying nearby structures and injuring three civilians,” he claimed.

In a previous statement, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) stated that “search and rescue operations are currently underway to retrieve the remaining crew and passengers.”

According to AUSSOM, the chopper crashed at the international airport in Mogadishu shortly before it touched down.

According to SONNA, the state-run news agency in Somalia, the chopper crashed earlier Wednesday and was engulfed in flames.

Airport employee Farah Abdulle told Reuters, “We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter.” “The smoke entirely covered the helicopter.”

Over 11,000 members of AUSSOM are in Somalia to support the military in their fight against the Islamist organization al Shabaab.

The group, which has ties to al Qaeda, has been battling for almost 20 years to overthrow Somalia’s internationally recognized government and install its own government based on a rigid interpretation of Sharia law.