Mogadishu (Sh.M.Network) A cargo aircraft that was flying over low level has been shot down by unknown gunmen with anti aircraft rocket over eastern the Somalia capital Mogadishu late Friday.

The plane which took off the airport around 5:00pm local time has got crashed after it was hit by a rocket fired from the ground as witnesses say.

The Arabic Satellite Channel of Al-Jazeera quoting AU military sources reports that 11 African Union peacekeeping soldiers onboard have been killed in the plane accident.

But witnesses told Shabelle they heard the sound of a rocket fired into the aircraft which caught on fire and sent huge thick cloud smoke in the sky and then fall into the ground.

In an interview with Shabelle Radio, the spokesman for the AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia Paddy Ankunda said they are investigating the cause of the crash and what the plane was.

He said he is now meeting with government officials over the matter and they will soon report on the accident.
http://www.shabelle.net/news/ne2612.htm
Shabelle Media Network Somalia
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