After days of speculation as to what might have caused the shooting down of a Kenyan plane in Bardale, Ethiopian troops have finally admitted their culpability in the matter.
The cargo plane, which was carrying humanitarian and medical supplies, was shot down on Monday in the Somalia town of Bardale just as it was about to land at the local airport.
It exploded and killed all the six people who were on board. Among the dead were four Kenyans, who included the pilot and his co-pilot. Two Somalis also died in the crash.
The Ethiopian military issued a statement to the African Union in which it said it thought the aircraft was on a suicide or terrorist attack.
In its statement, the Ethiopian military mentioned the aircraft’s “unusual flight” and the fact that its pilots failed to communicate or inform them of their flight plan.