By Ephraim Agbo
This Morning, Somalia Woke Up to Smoke
A military helicopter belonging to the African Union crash-landed in Mogadishu today, killing at least three Ugandan peacekeepers and injuring several others, including nearby civilians. The aircraft, loaded with live ammunition, burst into flames just as it approached Aden Abdulle International Airport.
Yes, a fully armed helicopter was landing at a civilian airport—right in the heart of a fragile capital. And yes, it exploded.
Let that sink in.
🎥 The Scene: Death, Fire, and Silence
- The helicopter was part of the AU’s AUSSOM mission (African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia).
- It had just returned from Balli-Doogle, a known military airbase.
- It crashed during landing, possibly due to mechanical failure or poor coordination.
- Onboard munitions exploded, igniting the wreckage and nearby surroundings.
- At least 3 AU personnel died, others were injured, and civilians got caught in the blast zone.
- Airport activities paused briefly before quietly resuming.
That’s the official story. But if you're paying attention, you know this isn’t just about a crash.
🚨 This Wasn’t an Accident. It Was a System Failure.
You don’t fly a bomb into a city without planning. You don’t land a military helicopter full of weapons in a commercial airport and act surprised when it blows up.
This tragedy screams one thing louder than anything else:
Africa’s peacekeeping missions are collapsing under the weight of hypocrisy, neglect, and silence.
The African Union has positioned AUSSOM as a stabilizing force in Somalia—but what we’re seeing is underfunded, overstretched troops flying unsafe aircraft into dangerous zones with no backup, no coordination, and no real strategy.
💣 Let’s Talk About the Real Problem
Here’s what they won’t put in the press release:
- The AU requested $500 million in funding for AUSSOM. What it got? Loose promises and overdue pledges.
- Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, and others have sent troops—many of whom are underpaid (like my dad but that is a story for another day), under-equipped, and operating in territories where al-Shabab still controls vast areas.
- No military insurance. No comprehensive evacuation plans. No accountability system when things go wrong.
So, who’s really watching out for the peacekeepers?
Because clearly, the AU isn’t. And neither are the partners smiling at the cameras during annual summits.
🤐 Where’s the Leadership?
Let’s call it what it is: a crisis of leadership.
- No press conference from the AU Commission.
- No public address from the Uganda military.
- No immediate action plan.
Just the same tired line: “We mourn our heroes and will investigate the matter.”
Really?
Three soldiers died, possibly more. Civilians were injured. Ammunition exploded within city limits. And we’re still playing diplomatic dress-up?
If this had happened to a French soldier in Mali, the world would be holding emergency briefings.
But African lives? They don’t trend.
🧠 Let’s Be Honest—Peacekeeping Isn’t Working
Not like this. Not when:
- Troops are flying old aircraft into combat zones.
- Ammunition is being moved through civilian airspace.
- Missions are handed vague mandates with no clear outcomes.
- Deaths are shrugged off with a few lines of PR grief.
This is not peacekeeping. This is African governments sending young men into war zones to die for a mission they don’t control, while the world applauds from a safe distance.
And we? We just move on.
💬 Final Thoughts: If We Don’t Speak, We’re Complicit
This crash wasn’t random. It was inevitable. A result of years of negligence, underfunding, and the dangerous assumption that African peacekeepers are expendable.
And if we don’t start shouting about it, we’re part of the silence that kills.
We owe it to every soldier who dies in these dusty corners of Africa—to ask harder questions, to demand more from our leaders, and to say this plainly:
Our peacekeepers deserve better.
No comments:
Post a Comment