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Suspected US drone crashes in Somalia's Lower Shabelle | Suspected US drone crashes in Somalia's Lower Shabelle |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A suspected US drone has crashed in the southern Lower Shabelle region of Somalia, according to reports. | |
The militant group al-Shabab said on Twitter that an American unmanned aircraft had come down near a town under its control. | The militant group al-Shabab said on Twitter that an American unmanned aircraft had come down near a town under its control. |
A regional governor told Reuters that fighters had shot at the object. | A regional governor told Reuters that fighters had shot at the object. |
The US uses drones in Somalia to support the Somali government and African Union (AU) forces as they battle the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab. | The US uses drones in Somalia to support the Somali government and African Union (AU) forces as they battle the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab. |
The US Africa Command has not confirmed the reports. | The US Africa Command has not confirmed the reports. |
'They hit it' | 'They hit it' |
Residents in the town of Bulo Marer told the BBC they had seen the wreckage of a small plane but did not know whether it was a US drone. | Residents in the town of Bulo Marer told the BBC they had seen the wreckage of a small plane but did not know whether it was a US drone. |
Lower Shabelle region governor Abdikadir Mohamed Nur told Reuters news agency that Islamist militants had shot at the aircraft over the town for several hours before it came down. | Lower Shabelle region governor Abdikadir Mohamed Nur told Reuters news agency that Islamist militants had shot at the aircraft over the town for several hours before it came down. |
"Finally they hit it and the drone crashed," he said. | "Finally they hit it and the drone crashed," he said. |
Al-Shabab said in a Twitter post that photographs of the drone would be published in the coming hours. | Al-Shabab said in a Twitter post that photographs of the drone would be published in the coming hours. |
A French soldier was among several people who died during a failed operation to free a hostage in the town of Bulo Marer in January. | A French soldier was among several people who died during a failed operation to free a hostage in the town of Bulo Marer in January. |
The hostage, Denis Allex, kidnapped in Somalia in July 2009, was also believed to have been killed by captors during the operation. | The hostage, Denis Allex, kidnapped in Somalia in July 2009, was also believed to have been killed by captors during the operation. |
Al-Shabab emerged as the radical youth wing of Somalia's now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts in 2006. | Al-Shabab emerged as the radical youth wing of Somalia's now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts in 2006. |
It is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia. | It is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia. |
The AU has about 18,000 troops in the country to help the government battle the insurgents. | The AU has about 18,000 troops in the country to help the government battle the insurgents. |
Al-Shabab was forced out of Mogadishu in August 2011 following an offensive by AU and government troops. | Al-Shabab was forced out of Mogadishu in August 2011 following an offensive by AU and government troops. |
But it still controls most villages and rural areas of southern and central Somalia. | But it still controls most villages and rural areas of southern and central Somalia. |
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