Rescuing The Us Rangers
By Sarmad Zia

This book narrates how Pakistan Army soldiers reached out to rescue trapped U.S soldiers, following a U.S sting operation that went awry, wherein two Black Hawk helicopters went down in Mogadishu, Somalia. These Pakistani soldiers, trained for conventional combat and peacekeeping, were thrown into a complex rescue operation and saw a might of combatThis sting operation evokes uneasy visions of American soldiers battling hostile Somalis in Mogadishu, on 3rd October 1993. And of hostages, tragic fatalities, and injured soldiers. What stands out, in hindsight, is the courage and professional worth of American servicemen who underwent this ordeal. And here, generally, the story ends, except for mention of American survivors running the Mogadishu Mile to safety.While the White House, the CENTCOM commander, and the US army commander in Somalia formally appreciated the Pakistan Army soldiers' role, American literature, media, and the film industry have consistently been reluctant to do so.Their versions skip some important parts. Which UN peacekeepers, out of the loop once the US sting operation was planned, responded to an American appeal at ZERO notice, with ZERO time for planning, preparation and rehearsals, and put their lives on the line, to rescue the 70 plus Americans soldiers?How was the final, successful multi-national rescue force assembled at the Mogadishu seaport? Who finalised the rescue plans? Who comprised the mechanised force (with no night vision capability), that led the rescue force successfully to the rescue site? That remained under fire, responding with force, to enable extrication of rescued American soldiers? That waited till ALL American soldiers arrived, and then accommodated these men on their mechanised vehicles, beyond capacity? And that moved back under fire, through a secure Pakistani check post, to a secure Pakistani base? And finally provided life and limb saving first aid to the rescued soldiers, before handing them over to the waiting Americans? All this remains an awkward aside, in leading narratives of the operation.These omissions, continuing to this day, have been apparent in Mark Bowden's book Black Hawk Down, later produced as a movie of the same name by Ridley Scott, as well as a documentary titled Surviving Black Hawk Down released on Netflix in 2025, thirty-two years after the rescue operation. Other U.S documentaries and social media content have also ignored Pakistan's role. Skewed coverage of this fateful operation left in its wake Pakistani and Malaysian peacekeepers, the heroes of this rescue operation, feeling hurt.The passage of over three decades has led to no redressal of these omissions. Perhaps nationality, which did not come in the way of those stepping forward as rescuers, did come in the way of the recognition they deserved.