Claim: Reports circulating in Somali media allege that a Somali government aircraft, reportedly used by the military, crashed in Baydhabo after being fired upon while attempting to land at Wajid Airport in the Bakol region.
Verdict: False! There is no evidence that any Somali government aircraft crashed or landed in Baydhabo or anywhere in Southwest State.
Full Tex
Several Somali media outlets circulated reports claiming that a Somali government aircraft had crashed in Baydhabo after coming under fire while attempting to land at Waajid Airport in the Bakool region.
The claim quickly spread across social media platforms and was picked up by multiple local media outlets, prompting Somali Fact Check to initiate a verification process due to its potential to mislead the public.
🔍 Verification
Somali Fact Check conducted a thorough investigation into the claim, including contacting government officials responsible for managing state-owned aircraft.
“There is no aircraft missing from the Somali government, nor has any plane landed or crashed in Baydhabo or in the Southwest regions,” an official from the aviation management authority told Somali Fact Check.
Additionally, the Minister of Security for Southwest State, Hassan Abdikadir Mohamed, confirmed to local media that no Somali government aircraft had landed or crashed in Baydhabo or in any area under the administration.
Given the seriousness of such an incident, any crash involving a government aircraft would have been officially confirmed and widely reported. However, no credible or official source has reported such an event.
At present, there is an ongoing political dispute between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Southwest State administration. This situation has contributed to the spread of misinformation and unverified reports.
Conclusion
The claim that a Somali government aircraft crashed in Baydhabo after being attacked is false. There is no verified evidence to support the claim, and it has been clearly denied by relevant authorities.
