US military reports drone crash in Somalia

The U.S. subject says it is investigating what caused an service drone to clang successful confederate Somalia this week.

The military's Africa Command, known arsenic AFRICOM, confirmed the incidental successful a station Friday connected societal media level X.

“A U.S. Army operated MQ-1C crashed successful confederate Somalia astatine astir 12:40 PM section connected Nov. 5,” AFRICOM said. “An probe is ongoing, though the clang does not look to beryllium the effect of immoderate effort to sprout down the aircraft.”

AFRICOM said it volition merchandise much accusation arsenic it becomes available.

AFRICOM did not disclose the nonstop determination of the crash, but a Somali authoritative said helium was told a drone crashed successful an country controlled by the al-Shabab militant group.

Mohamed Ibrahim Barre, the politician of Lower Shabelle, told the VOA Horn of Africa Service that the drone crashed northbound of Farsoley village, successful Lower Shabelle, astir 85 kilometers westbound of Mogadishu. Barre said helium did not cognize who the drone belongs to.

The U.S. subject has conducted surveillance and airstrikes against al-Shabab for years successful enactment of successive Somali administrations.

In addition, the U.S. besides trains an elite Somali commando portion known arsenic Danab, oregon lightning. Earlier this year, U.S. and Somalia person signed a memorandum of knowing (MoU) for the operation of up to 5 subject bases for the Danab Brigade, successful a task valued astatine implicit $100 million.

This communicative originated successful VOA's Horn of Africa Service.