A helicopter operated by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) crashed while attempting to land at Mogadishu’s international airport on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, according to Somalia’s state-run news agency, SONNA. The aircraft was engulfed in flames following the impact.
The chopper, which was carrying eight personnel at the time of the incident, caught fire upon landing. SONNA, in a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, confirmed that the fire was later brought under control.
As of press time, the extent of casualties, if any, remained unclear. Efforts to reach an AUSSOM spokesperson for further clarification were unsuccessful.
“We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter,” said Farah Abdulle, an airport employee who witnessed the event. “The smoke entirely covered the helicopter,” he told Reuters.
AUSSOM, a key component of the African Union’s peacekeeping efforts, currently maintains over 11,000 personnel in Somalia. The mission plays a crucial role in supporting the Somali National Army in its ongoing efforts to combat al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group.
Al-Shabaab has waged a nearly 20-year insurgency aimed at overthrowing Somalia’s internationally recognized government and imposing its own strict version of Islamic law.
