Al Shabaab has been waging an insurgency towards the Somali authorities since 2006. (File)
Mogadishu:
Al Shabaab operatives captured a United Nations helicopter carrying two Somali males and a number of other foreigners when it made an emergency touchdown in an space managed by the Islamist group, a navy official mentioned on Wednesday.
The plane encountered a defect shortly after taking off from Beledweyne metropolis in central Somalia, Main Hassan Ali advised Reuters, earlier than it landed close to Hindhere village, bordering Galguduud area.
“Two Somali males and a number of other foreigners have been onboard. It was additionally carrying medical provides and it was supposed to move injured troopers from Galguduud area,” he mentioned.
A UN employee who wished to stay nameless mentioned the plane belonged to the United Nations Help Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), and that the crew included 5 foreigners.
Two UN sources aware of the matter advised Reuters the plane carried 9 passengers.
Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the identities of these captured or their nationalities.
Al Shabaab, linked to al Qaeda, has been waging an insurgency towards the Somali authorities since 2006 in a bid to ascertain its personal rule primarily based on a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia legislation.
Whereas the federal government has managed to keep off the operatives from a number of territories because the mid-2010s, al Shabaab controls swathes of land in southern and central Somalia and has continued to focus on civilians and stage assaults on navy institutions.
Spokespeople for the Somalia authorities and the UN didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
