Somalia: U.S. surveillance drone crashes in refugee camp

Eye witnesses in Badbado camp in Mogadishu report that a drone crashed into a hut located in the camp. African Union troops removed the wreckage. Apparently no one was hurt by the crash.

The U.S. has been using drones both for surveillance of militants and also for attacks on suspected militants in Somalia for some time. Last year a similar plane crashed into a house in Mogadishu.

Obama has been escalating the use of drones in Somalia, Yemen, and in the Pakistani tribal areas as part of operations against militants. The U.S. plans to build more bases for the drones in Africa and elsewhere.

Although some analysts claim their use may be against international law the administration claims that attack drones kill many militant leaders. Critics point out that they often kill civilians as collateral damage.