Al Shabaab, an extremist group operating in Somalia, has released photos showing the wreckage of a military aircraft which they claim to have shot down in the Hawaadleey area of HirShabelle State.
This comes after a statement from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which said on Tuesday that Burundian AUSSOM troops had been evacuated from Hawaadleey due to heavy rainfall and flooding. ATMIS further stated that one of the helicopters used during the evacuation experienced a technical malfunction, but the pilots managed to land it safely without any casualties.
However, Al Shabaab claims that they shot down the aircraft, an allegation that has not been confirmed by independent sources. So far, there is no concrete evidence to prove whether the aircraft was shot down or suffered a technical failure.
Hawaadleey is a strategic town with a bridge connecting northern and southern Somalia. Local reports suggest that Al Shabaab may have deliberately destroyed riverbanks and canals to intensify flooding, appearing to use it as a weapon of war to complicate military evacuation efforts in the area.
