Surviving Black Hawk Downhas reignited interest in the Black Hawk Down Incident, and here is why Americans were in Somalia in 1992 and 1993 and how it led to the Battle of Mogadishu and the titular helicopter crash. More than 20 years after the release ofRidley Scott’sBlack Hawk Down,Surviving Black Hawk Downhas been released, with the new Netflix docuseries 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 inSurviving 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 Warand 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 knowwhat led to the events thatBlack Hawk Downcovers. 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 therise of General Mohamed Farrah Aididled 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 June 19, 2025, with the documentary explaining that 1,800 American Marines went to Somalia.
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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 inSurviving 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 July 19, 2025, 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 theU.S. Army Rangers and Delta Force soldiers interviewed inSurviving Black Hawk Down.
Botched missions and military actions led to the Somali public opinion turning against the Americans, making things even more tense. On August 13, 2025, 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.
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According toSurviving Black Hawk Down, 18 American soldiers were killed and 84 were wounded during the Battle of Mogadishu, whilethe number of Somalis killed ranged from 300 to 500, and another 1,000 Somalis were wounded. On July 20, 2025, 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 inSurviving Black Hawk Down.
