Several Ugandan helicopters missing in Kenya

According to Reuters, on August 12, several Ugandan military helicopters went missing in Kenyan airspace while en route to Somalia to reinforce African Union (AU) peacekeeping forces fighting al-Shabaab rebels.

The Ugandan army said a squadron of helicopters left its base in the Ugandan city of Entebbe, but only one landed in the Kenyan town of Wajir, where they were expected to refuel before continuing on to Somalia.

Illustration photo. (Source: Internet)

The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) said they did not know what happened to the remaining helicopters, but did not say how many helicopters were missing or how many people were on board.

A UPDF spokesman said the search for the planes was underway.

Ugandan troops form the backbone of the AU peacekeeping force in Somalia (AMISOM), which also includes troops from Kenya and Burundi.

The Ugandan Air Force said on August 7 it would deploy combat and transport helicopters to Somalia to reinforce its forces there.

AMISOM is planning a major offensive on Kismayu, Somalia's second-largest city and a stronghold of al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab militants, before August 20./.

According to (Vietnam+) - DT