Somali Militants Take Hostages, Kill One After U.N. Helicopter Makes Forced Landing

NAIROBI, Kenya—Several people were captured and at least one killed Wednesday when a United Nations helicopter made a forced landing in a militant-controlled area of Somalia, according to reports from the Somali military viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Col. Deo Akiiki, the deputy spokesman for the Ugandan military, which has troops deployed in Somalia as part of an African Union mission, confirmed that a U.N. helicopter set down in hostile territory. Early Somali military reports circulating among diplomats and viewed by the Journal said that the downed aircraft was encircled by insurgents from al-Shabaab, one of the world’s most-active al Qaeda affiliates, and that one person on board was killed.