MOGADISHU, Somalia — A U.S. military drone crashed in southern Somalia on Tuesday, a country that has been struggling with violent attacks from al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda-linked group, for years.
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that the MQ-1C drone, operated by the U.S. Army, went down around 12:40 p.m. local time (0940 GMT) on November 5.
In a brief statement, AFRICOM said an investigation is underway and that there is no indication the crash was caused by an attempt to shoot down the aircraft.
The cause of the crash remains unclear, and reports suggest the drone may have gone down in an area controlled by al-Shabaab. The exact location of the crash is still uncertain.
The drone is believed to have been operated by the U.S. military from Balidogle airfield in the Lower Shabelle region, about 90 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu.
The U.S. military uses such drones for surveillance before carrying out airstrikes against al-Shabaab, while also supporting Somali forces in their counterterrorism operations.
For nearly a decade, the U.S. has operated a base at Balidogle, where it trains the Danab Brigade, an elite Somali strike force in the fight against al-Shabaab.
Despite losing control of several towns, the insurgent group has ramped up attacks in retaliation for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s declaration of an “all-out war” to remove them from Somalia.
Though driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, al-Shabaab continues to carry out deadly attacks, including suicide bombings in the capital and beyond. For more than a decade, they have sought to overthrow the Somali government and impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
The al-Qaeda-linked group still controls significant territory in southern and central Somalia, using these areas to launch attacks on Somali National Army bases, African Union peacekeepers, and targets in Mogadishu.
