Ugandan army helicopters go missing in Kenya

Three Ugandan attack helicopters went missing on Sunday as they flew to Somalia to shore up the final attack on the port city of Kismayu. Reports from credible military sources said the MI-23 disappeared, while a fourth one crash-landed in Somalia.

There were conflicting reports about the territory where the helicopters went off radar. Some of the reports said it happened within the Kenyan airspace, while other reports said it was inside Somalia. The Nation could not independently verify where it happened.

The Kenya Defence Forces spokesperson, Col Cyrus Oguna, said he had not received reports of the missing attack helicopters.

“I am aware that Uganda was supposed to be taking helicopters to Mogadishu, but as to when that was supposed to happen, I do not know,” said Col Oguna.

The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) told Reuters: “The search is going on, we don't know what exactly happened but we are investigating it and we will let you know when I get adequate information.”

This comes at a time when the long-planned assault on Somalia’s southern port town of Kismayu by the Kenya Defence Forces and their Amisom allies is probably only days away in what will be a decisive week for Somalia.