Surviving Black Hawk Down is a new Netflix docuseries exploring the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, with interviews from those who survived the devastating conflict.
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As per the synopsis, the documentary tells the "gripping real story of the horror and heroism behind the events that that inspired Ridley Scott’s blockbuster movie Black Hawk Down, blending raw, immersive storytelling with first-person interviews from both sides of the Battle of Mogadishu".
Produced by Ridley Scott Associates, the series features interviews, re-enactments and shocking footage captured "on the ground before, during, and after the bloodshed".
The documentary features interviews with members of the Army Rangers and Delta Force as well as residents of Mogadishu, including those who fought against US forces, local women who were trapped in the war zone and a party photographer-turned-war documentarian.
With the series now available to watch on Netflix, read on for more information on what exactly The Battle of Mogadishu was.
What was The Battle of Mogadishu?
A re-enactment in Surviving Black Hawk Down. Netflix
Following the political unrest that led to civil war in Somalia, United Nations peacekeepers were sent to the African nation.
Troops were initially sent to relieve the 1992 famine, but it soon became a bid to restore a government and establish democracy.
The following year, US troops planned to capture two of warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid's top lieutenants.
What was meant to last 30 minutes turned into an overnight stand-off and spiralled into the Battle of Mogadishu, with two Black Hawk helicopters being shot down.
This saw 18 US soldiers and an estimated 200 Somalians killed, though the final death count has never been confirmed.
In the days that followed, former US President Bill Clinton announced that all US troops would be pulled out of combat by March 1994.
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
