Uganda search for missing helicopters

Kampala, 13 Aug – (ANA) - A search is under way in Kenya for two Ugandan military helicopters which have gone missing. The helicopters were among four which were due to make a stop in Kenya, but only one landed in the town of Garissa. A Kenyan defence department spokesman said a pilot of another of the helicopters has contacted the department from Mount Kenya. The aircraft were part of a contingent being sent to reinforce the African Union force in Somalia. It was not known whether the helicopter of the pilot who contacted Kenyan defence officials had crashed or had landed safely, Kenyan defence department spokesman Bogita Ongeri said. The Kenyan army has launched a land and air rescue operation but it is being hampered by bad weather, Mr Ongeri added. It is not clear exactly how many people were on board the helicopters. "The search is going on, we don't know what exactly happened but we are investigating it," Ugandan military spokesman Felix Kulayigye told Reuters. Ugandan troops are part of the African Union force fighting the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab, which pledges loyalty to al-Qaeda. Despite losing ground to the AU and other forces supporting Somalia's UN-backed government over the past year, al-Shabab still controls many southern and central parts of the country. The AU has reportedly been planning to launch an "onslaught" against al-Shabab later this month in the biggest town it still holds - the port of Kismayo. Al-Shabab has staged deadly attacks in Uganda, which is the largest contributor to the AU force. A double suicide attack in 2010 killed 76 people watching the football World Cup final on TV in a bar and restaurant in Kampala. (ANA)

FA/ANA/13 August 2012-----------