Uganda's military says an attack helicopter crashed into a house, killing the crew and a civilian

Uganda's military says an attack helicopter being used in the fight against Islamic extremists in neighboring Congo has crashed into a Ugandan house, killing both crew members and a civilian in the building

KAMPALA, Uganda -- A Ugandan military helicopter being used in the fight against Islamic extremists in neighboring Congo crashed into a Ugandan house on Tuesday, killing both crew members and a civilian in the building, Uganda's military said.

The cause of the attack helicopter's crash in the western district of Ntoroko near the border is suspected to be bad weather, said Brig Felix Kulayigye, spokesperson for the Uganda People’s Defense Forces.

In a statement, Kulayigye said the helicopter was flying to Congo, where Uganda’s military is fighting the Allied Democratic Forces, an extremist group allied to the Islamic State organization.

”The crew died heroes as they participated in the struggle to pacify our western frontier of the dreadful ADF,” he said.

Several Ugandan military helicopters have crashed in recent years, with the military often blaming bad weather. In September 2022, two military helicopters being used to fight the ADF crashed in eastern Congo, killing 22 Ugandan soldiers.