The United Nations said its helicopter “crashed on landing” in an area of ​​central Somalia on Wednesday, suggesting that those on board had been abducted by fighters from the al-Shabaab jihadist group.

The helicopter, carrying a total of nine people, “crashed on landing” about 70 kilometers southeast of Dussamareb, the capital of Galmudug state, according to an internal UN memo cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The crash occurred in an area under the control of the al-Shabaab jihadist group, and six people on board are believed to have been kidnapped, “although this cannot be independently verified,” according to the same source.

One of the occupants was killed, under unclear circumstances, while two others managed to escape to an unknown location, the memorandum states. It is clarified that those on board were not members of the UN mission, without mentioning their nationalities.

Asked about this case, the UN secretary-general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, confirmed that there had been an “incident” with a UN-chartered helicopter “in Galmudug, Somalia”. Efforts are being made, he told reporters in New York, adding that “for the good of everyone on board, we are not going to say anything more at this stage.”

Another note sent to the UN office in Somalia, contacted by AFP, said that “a tragic incident involving a helicopter crash” had occurred in Galmudug, but that there were no UN personnel on board.

In recent months, the Somali army has regained control of several areas that were under the control of al-Shabaab. The jihadist group, which maintains strong ties to al-Qaeda, has been waging a 16-year armed struggle against Somalia’s internationally-backed federal government, seeking to topple it and impose its own extremist version of the country. of Islamic law.