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- Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack
- 4 Al Shabaab Terrorists Killed
- Three Americans killed
At least four Al Shabaab terrorists were neutralized Sunday in Lamu County, southeastern Kenya following a dawn attack on the Manda-Magogoni naval base, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said.
“This morning at around 5.30 am an attempt was made to breach security at Manda Air Strip. The attempted breach was successfully repulsed. Four terrorists bodies have so far been found. The airstrip is safe,” KDF Spokesperson Col Paul Njuguna said.
U.S. Africa Command acknowledges there was an attack at Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya and is monitoring the situation. Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the incident. As facts and details emerge, we will provide an update.
— US AFRICOM (@USAfricaCommand) January 5, 2020
“Arising from the unsuccessful breach a fire broke out affecting some of the fuel tanks located at the airstrip. The fire has been put under control and standard security procedures are now ongoing.”
BREAKING: Reports from Kenya say Al-Shabaab militants have launched a dawn attack on Kenya military base in Lamu County. A suicide car bomb reportedly breached the entry to Camp Simba, Manda Bay. The explosion sent plume of dark smoke into the sky, photos purportedly show. pic.twitter.com/OxL8H1Qvgs
— Harun Maruf (@HarunMaruf) January 5, 2020
Three Americans killed
In the dawn attack, one US service member and two Department of Defense contractors were killed according to US Africa Command.
Two Department of Defense employees were also injured in the attack. They are in stable condition, and being evacuated, US Africa Command said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of our teammates who lost their lives today,” said U.S. Army General Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command.
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Sen. Jim Risch in a tweet, he mentioned that a number of Kenyans were also killed.
I am saddened to learn that American and Kenyan lives were lost during a heinous terrorist attack on a Kenya-US operating base early this morning. The US-Kenya partnership remains strong in the fight against al-Shabaab and global terrorism.
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) January 5, 2020
Al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked Islamist insurgent group claimed responsibility, in a statement, it said ,“An elite group of soldiers from Harakat Al-Shabaab Al Mujahideen’s ‘Martyrdom Brigade’ launched a daring dawn raid on a U.S. naval base known as ‘Camp Simba’ in Lamu County, Kenya,” the statement said.
“The base is home to hundreds of U.S.military personnel and Kenyan soldiers and serves as one of the many launch pads for the American crusade against Islam in the region,” the statement added.
Manda Bay Airfield is utilized by U.S. forces whose missions include providing training to our African partners, responding to crises, and protecting U.S. interests in this strategically important area.
“The work that our U.S. forces are doing in East Africa bolsters partnerships, counters malign influence, and maintains critical pressure on terrorist networks,” said Townsend. “Our efforts directly contribute to counterterrorism, maritime surveillance, and intelligence sharing missions with our Kenyan partners. This activity enables enhanced security and stability in the region and for America.”
Following the incursion by the Kenya Defence Forces into Somalia in 2012, incidences of terror attacks on the civilian population in the country have increased. The attacks, which the police claim to be sponsored by the Al Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab militant groups, have targeted civilians in highly populated areas such as malls, shopping centers, bars, recreational facilities, churches and buses leading to the death and injury of hundreds of innocent civilians.
The most current was the attack by the Al-Shabab militants in January 2019 that killed 21 people at Dusit D2, 14 Riverside, Westlands, Nairobi.
