Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down, Surviving Black Hawk Down has been released, with the new Netflix docies delving into the true story of the Battle of Mogadishu. The documentary features interviews with Americans and Somalis who were involved in the Battle of Mogadishu, eventually leading to the main event featured in Surviving Black Hawk Down.

The Black Hawk Down Incident may be the most famous story from the Battle of Mogadishu, but it is far from the only thing that happened during the battle. The Battle of Mogadishu is the result of the Somali Civil War and the involvement of the U.N. and the United States of America, with a long series of events culminating in the crash of the Black Hawk helicopters. Despite the movie being famous, many viewers don't know what led to the events that Black Hawk Down covers. So, here is the true story.

The US Sent Troops To Somalia In 1992 As Part Of A Humanitarian Effort

It Was Originally A Response To The 1992 Famine

The overthrow of the Barre regime in Somalia led to the Somali Civil War, causing tons of unrest and political instability throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The battles between the various rebel groups and the rise of General Mohamed Farrah Aidid led to the United Nations getting involved, with them deciding that they needed to intervene. This resulted in the creation of the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), led by the United States with the help of the United Nations. UNITAF began Operation Restore Hope on December 5, 1992, with the documentary explaining that 1,800 American Marines went to Somalia.

Operation Restore Hope was a response to the 1992 famine in Somalia, with the Marines being sent in order to secure their peacekeeping efforts. As Ahmed "Five" explains in Surviving Black Hawk Down, the arrival of the Americans was initially received positively by many Somalis, with a wide belief that it could help restore stability. The goal of the first United Nations Operation in Somalia and Operation Restore Hope was to resolve Somali unrest peacefully. However, the formation of UNOSOM II and the disarmament conference in 1993 led to relations between the U.N. and the Somali factions souring.

How The Aid Effort Turned Into The Battle of Mogadishu In 1993

Relations Soured After Operation Restore Hope

General Aidid, leader of the Somali National Alliance (SNA), was firmly against UNOSOM. Tensions between UNOSOM II and the SNA continued rising until on June 5, 1993, 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a part of Mogadishu controlled by the SNA. This ended the U.N. and the United States' attempts to peacefully resolve the conflict, with them instead switching focus to taking down Aidid and his SNA military wing. Throughout the following months, more American troops arrived in Somalia, such as the U.S. Army Rangers and Delta Force soldiers interviewed in Surviving Black Hawk Down.

Botched missions and military actions led to the Somali public opinion turning against the Americans, making things even more tense. On October 3, 1993, the Americans attempted to raid a complex that they believed held two of Aidid's lieutenants. During the mission, Somalis from the area came out, with many being armed. One of the Black Hawk helicopters was hit by an RPG, with it crashing. This was the start of the Black Hawk Down incident, with the Americans having to figure out how to get all of their people out of Mogadishu while fighting with the Somalis.

What Happened During Operation Gothic Serpent

The Americans Never Captured General Aidid

The Battle of Mogadishu and the Black Hawk Down Incident marked the end of the broader military operation that it was part of, with this being Operation Gothic Serpent. Operation Gothic Serpent took place from August to October 1993, with its main goal being the capture of General Aidid. As the documentary explains, things very rarely went according to plan, with this ultimately leading to the events of October 3.

According to Surviving Black Hawk Down, 18 American soldiers were killed and 84 were wounded during the Battle of Mogadishu, while the number of Somalis killed ranged from 300 to 500, and another 1,000 Somalis were wounded. On October 6, 1993, President Bill Clinton announced the end of armed conflict with the SNA, with American forces being withdrawn in the following months. Many UNOSOM II operations were abandoned, with the end of the U.S. and U.N.'s involvement coming as a result of the events described in Surviving Black Hawk Down.

Source: Surviving Black Hawk Down