Several reports surface of a terror attack on a US military base in southeastern Kenya; It’s believed that the attack was in response to US strikes in Somalia last week; Al-Shabaab terror group is responsible for the attack.
Sunday, the terrorist organization known as Al-Shabaab attacked an airfield used by Kenyan and American military forces. The attack is believed to be in response to the strikes that US forces carried out last week on the group inside of Somalia. There are mixed reports as to the extent of the damage done, but what is known is that several military vehicles were damaged or destroyed in the attack. As far as casualties are concerned, no details have come to the surface. Al-Shabaab has collaborated in the past with Iranian Quds Forces to plot terror attacks.
Manda Bay Airfield, where the US Africa Command acknowledged that the attack took place, is used by both Kenyan and US forces to train Kenyan forces and conduct anti-terror activity in Africa.
While the terrorist organization is claiming a high number of casualties, US Army Maj. Gen. William Gayler stated, “Al-Shabaab resorts to lies, coercion, and the exertion of force to bolster their reputation to create false headlines. It is important to counter al-Shabaab where they stand to prevent the spread of this cancer. Al-Shabaab is a brutal terrorist organization. It is an al-Qaeda affiliate seeking to establish a self-governed Islamic territory in East Africa, to remove Western influence and ideals from the region, and to further its jihadist agenda. U.S. presence in Africa is critically important to counter-terrorism efforts.”
Kenyan forces are actually stating that the only casualties that took place were four militants belonging to Al-Shabaab, and the attack was quickly shut down when met with return fire from Kenyan and US forces.