During the early morning hours of Sunday, Al Shabb, Somalia’s largest Islamic terrorist group, launched an attack on a military base in Kenya used by U.S. forces.
According to source from the military, “They have attacked Manda airstrip in Lamu, which is just next to the military camp that hosts military personnel from many countries including Kenya and the U.S. We are informed that fighting is still ongoing.”
In a statement, the U.S. military 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.”
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
Source say the attackers were trying to get through the airstrip to the military base. The Reuters report also included the terrorist organization’s comment as follows:
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 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 attacks come as U.S. forces are on high alert for possible attacks after President Donald Trump late last week approved an airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani, head of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated terrorist organization.
About 35 specific U.S. targets were considered by an Iranian official to strike in reaction to the U.S. killing its top terrorist leader.
Trump replied late on Saturday night via Twitter;
“Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters.”
“He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years,” Trump continued. “Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!”
“He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years,” Trump continued. “Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!”
….targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020
In October 2019, the U.S. State Department announced that the latest available figures on terrorism revealed that Al-Shabaab was the third deadliest terrorist organization in 2018 as it carried out 535 attacks in Somalia and Kenya resulting in 2,062 deaths and 1,278 injuries.
According to Reuters, the fact that the terrorist group took responsibility for the attack seems out of the ordinary given how Al-Shabaab is reportedly operating. Department of State said Al-Shabaab had “e a known policy of not claiming responsibility for incidents outside Somalia even though they are active in neighboring countries.”
Moreover, the State Department reported that Somalia accounted for 60 of the 306 assassinations that took place in 40 countries around the world in 2018, and Al-Shabaab was responsible for 51.
The Counter Extremism Project reported that Al-Shabaab has reportedly received funding from the government of Iran.
Journalists posted the following videos and images of the purported attack on Twitter:
Al-Shabaab has attacked a US military base in Lamu, Kenya.
No news on casualties etc as gunfire exchange continues pic.twitter.com/6KPPRUoacK
— Samira Sawlani (@samirasawlani) January 5, 2020
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
JUST IN – Alshabab Fighters claim responsibility – A Military Base in Manda Bay ,Lamu was attacked this morning . Gunshots can still be heard . pic.twitter.com/YI19ZvxeNG
— Hussein Mohammed (@huseinmoha) January 5, 2020
