Replies

"Witnesses in Baidoa said an Ethiopian military helicopter had flown out of the city on Thursday, and an unmarked C-130 airplane believed to be flying surveillance runs circled the dusty trading post that is the government's only safe ground." Yahoo

"Witnesses reported an unmarked C-130 circling above Galkaayo, close to Puntland." CNN Cache

"Witnesses in Baidoa said an Ethiopian helicopter had flown out of the city yesterday, and an unmarked C-130 airplane believed to be flying surveillance runs circled the dusty trading post that is the government's only safe landing ground." Gulf news

Earlier in the year... "...plane thought to be surveillance aircraft known as AC-130 was flying over Mogadishu city during the latest clashes." Somalinet

Apparently observation has been going on for some time as this 1995 report attests... "The occasional surveillance flights over Mogadishu remind many residents of the American AC-130 gunships that frightened the city in 1993, breeding anxiety and indignation." COUNTER-TERRORISM IN SOMALIA:

Nearby in Djibouti, there's a US special force base... "The base is perched at the far edge of Ambouli Airport in this tiny country's capital city. Soldiers can be seen working on the coiled barbed wire surrounding the base's perimeter. Tan humvee vehicles with mounted machine guns are visible, some parked, some patrolling. Marine and special forces helicopters are also in sight, as well as an MC-130 gunship, [their term] a version of the heavily armed AC-130 modified for special forces." US special forces develop base amid secrecy

"The mission of the MC-130E Combat Talon I and MC-130H Combat Talon II is to provide global, day, night and adverse weather capability to airdrop and airland personnel and equipment in support of U.S. and allied special operations forces. These aircraft are equipped with in-flight refueling equipment, terrain-following, terrain-avoidance radar, an inertial and global positioning satellite navigation system, and a high-speed aerial delivery system. All twenty-four aircraft have been delivered." MC-130 Hercules

There are also several electronic versions: EC-130 - Electronic

And, of course, your basic C-130

So, what actually was in the sky is anyone's guess!