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Ethiopian military cargo plane explodes Somali

Four dead after rough landing
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS archive
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS archive

PRETORIA, August 9 (Itar-Tass) – Military cargo plane, operated by six crew members, which arrived to Somali from Ethiopia with a shipment of weapons and ammunition, exploded upon landing at the Mogadishu international airport.

A representative of the airport’s security service told journalists that the “aircraft is on fire, ammunition on board is exploding. Firefighters are unable to extinguish the blaze.”

Reports indicate that the airplane caught on fire after being unable to stay on the airport’s landing strip. Sources indicated that the accident has claimed  four lives

Mogadishu airport is often used by military airplanes, including those which are employed by the African union military which assist governmental forces in fighting Islamist extremists from the Al-Shabaab militant group, which is known for its close ties to Al Qaeda.