Wreckage from the drone crash (Image credit: @HSMPress1)
Unverified news reports emerged earlier that a possible unmanned United states drone crashed in Somalia’s Southern region of the lower shabelle. Regional governor Abdul qadir Mohammed nur speaking to VOA Somali service confirmed the crash, and speculated that it was downed by the militants.
AlShabab have also already confirmed on their official twitter account that they are in possession of wreckage of the drone that it was moved another location. Bulo Mareer the site of the wreckage remains a stronghold of alShabaab, it is also the scene of the failed french rescue attempt of Military agent Denis Allex at beginning of this year.
The US government does not usually confirm or deny, but this is not the first time a drone crashed in areas under control of militants. With the rise of Piracy in the Indian ocean, alQaeda linked militancy in Somalia and neighbouring Yemen, the US has markedly intensified use of Spy and attack drones to tackle actual or perceived threats.
However, Over a year ago U.S government suspended drone operations from the Seychelles to investigations, after an MQ-9 Reaper became the second to crash in four months. Unless for some inexplicable reason it was flying low enough for soviet era weapons to bring it down, Shooting down a UAV is highly unlikely due to altitudes they capable of reaching. That said, alShabab themselves have not made any such claims.
Follow the Somali War Monitor on Twitter @somwarmonitor
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
© The “Somali War Monitor”, 2012- 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (especially where translated material is concerned,) without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the “Somali War Monitor” with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
