A US Delta Force trooper firing away with an MP5 SD in the streets of Mogadishu. He is heavily armed and protected by armor, however, the enemy resistance was unxpected and in the ensuing chaos, the Delta Force unit together with other US forces suffered heavy casualties.

In the aftermath of the violent firefight, 18 US soldiers layed dead and another 84 were wounded. The Somalis suffered countless casualties, but the warlord Aidid was not captured, eventually to die later in the violence that engulfed Somalia.

The initial mission was to capture the local warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid repotedly staying in the Olympic Hotel. The US forces swooped in by air, brought in by Blackhawks and Little Bird helicopters. They expected a quick textbook type of assault and extraction, just like their previous operations. Instead, they were ambushed by a large group of heavily armed Somalis who somehow has learned about the mission beforehand.



















































The firefight was fast and furious. The enemies were virtually sorrounded the US forces. During the deployment, two US Blackhawk helicopters were shot down by RPGs and anti-aircraft fire. This virtually changed their mission from capturing Aidid, to rescuing their downed comrades from the throngs of Somali gunmen.
























































Other UN forces, together with other American units tried to rush into the area, fighting there way in amidst road blocks and gunfire. Lacking armored support, several hours elapsed before they reached the area. Only then that the US forces were able to withdraw from the tragic firefight.