The Somali government is actively working to rescue passengers of a United Nations helicopter that was captured by al-Shabaab militants. The U.N.-contracted helicopter had to make an emergency landing near Hindhere village in central Somalia due to a technical problem. The area is controlled by the militants.
The helicopter, conducting an air medical evacuation, had two Somali men and several foreigners on board. Al-Shabaab militants captured many of them, but it remains unclear how many were taken hostage or if any managed to escape.
Somalia’s Information Minister, Daud Aweis, stated that the government has been making efforts to rescue the crew since the incident occurred. However, military officers on the ground indicated that accessing the area controlled by al-Shabaab would be challenging.
Colonel Abdullahi Isse, based in the town of Adado near Hindhere, mentioned that there were no plans for a rescue mission, citing the long-standing control of the area by al-Shabaab. Major Hassan Ali, based in Beledweyne, where the helicopter took off, noted that a land-based operation was not feasible.
The United Nations confirmed ongoing response efforts, and the U.N. World Food Programme stated that the helicopter did not belong to them. They temporarily suspended all WFP flights in the area as a precaution.