October
03

Today in African History

Historical Events

  • 1989 - Adina (Adina Thembi Ndamse), a Ghanaian-South African pop singer, is born.
  • 1993 - The Battle of Mogadishu, pitting U.S. troops against the fighters of Somali warlords,  begins in Somalia’s capital.
  • 1978 - Gerald Asamoah, a Ghanaian-German footballer, is born.
  • 2013 - 13 people are killed after a passenger plane crashes in Lagos, Nigeria.
  • 2007 - A broken water pipe damages an elevator and traps about 3,200 miners in a gold mine in South Africa.

Discover Africa's Rich Past

The Black Hawk Down

The Black Hawk Down

The Battle of Mogadishu, also known as the Black Hawk Down incident, occurred on October 3-4, 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia, during a United Nations peacekeeping mission. Initially aimed at capturing a Somali warlord, Mohamed Farrah Aidid, the mission escalated into a protracted urban battle, with US Army Rangers and Delta Force operators facing fierce resistance from Somali militias. Two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down, leading to a desperate rescue operation in which 18 American soldiers lost their lives and many more were injured. This intense firefight had a profound impact on US foreign policy, resulting in the withdrawal of American forces from Somalia and a reevaluation of military intervention strategies in the region.

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