{"id":70198,"date":"2020-01-05T11:59:27","date_gmt":"2020-01-05T11:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/01\/05\/us-aircraft-destroyed-no-troops-injured-in-jihadi-attack-on-base-in-kenya\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:10:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:10:04","slug":"us-aircraft-destroyed-no-troops-injured-in-jihadi-attack-on-base-in-kenya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/2020\/01\/05\/us-aircraft-destroyed-no-troops-injured-in-jihadi-attack-on-base-in-kenya\/","title":{"rendered":"US service member, DoD contractors killed after jihadi attack on base in Kenya"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Militants from the terrorist group Al-Shabab attacked and briefly gained entry to a small U.S. base in eastern Kenya recently, killing three Americans.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

NAIROBI, Kenya \u2014 A U.S. service member and two Department of Defense contractors died Sunday following an attack from al-Shabab militants in Manda Bay, Kenya, according to U.S. Africa Command. Two other Defense Department members were also injured in the attack, but remain in stable condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenyan authorities previously said that Somalia\u2019s al-Shabab extremist group<\/a> attacked a military base used by U.S. and Kenyan troops in coastal Kenya early Sunday. Kenya\u2019s military said the pre-dawn assault was repulsed and at least four attackers were killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of our teammates who lost their lives today,\u201d AFRICOM Commander U.S. Army General Stephen Townsend said in a news release. \u201cAs we honor their sacrifice, let\u2019s also harden our resolve.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlongside our African and international partners, we will pursue those responsible for this attack and al-Shabaab who seeks to harm Americans and U.S. interests,\u201d Townsend said. “We remain committed to preventing al-Shabaab from maintaining a safe haven to plan deadly attacks against the U.S. homeland, East African and international partners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The names of those who were killed in the attack have not been released yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AFRICOM said reports suggest that six contractor-operated civilian aircraft incurred damage from the attack, which AFRICOM spokesman Air Force Col. Christopher Karns said is not linked to tensions between the U.S. and Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAl-Shabaab very much has its own agenda and seeks to attack U.S., African, and Western interests,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the first known al-Shabab<\/a> attack against U.S. forces inside Kenya, a key base for fighting one of the world\u2019s most resilient extremist organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A plume of black smoke rose above the base near the border with Somalia, where al-Shabab is based. Residents said a car bomb had exploded. Lamu county commissioner Irungu Macharia told The Associated Press that five suspects were arrested and were being interrogated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AFRICOM confirmed the attack on Camp Simba in Lamu county. Karns called al-Shabab\u2019s claims, including that its attack inflicted severe casualties, \u201cgrossly exaggerated.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was no report Kenyan deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Camp
Airmen prepared to unload cargo for delivery at Camp Simba, Kenya, Feb. 17, 2019. (Tech. Sgt. Rachelle Coleman\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

AFRICOM, in a media release, said its forces, along with Kenya Defense Forces, repelled the attack and have cleared the airfield, which is \u201cstill in the process of being fully secured.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The camp, established more than a decade ago, has under 100 U.S. personnel, according to Pentagon figures. A U.S. flag-raising there in August signaled its change \u201cfrom tactical to enduring operations,” the Air Force said at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An internal Kenyan police report seen by the AP said two fixed-wing aircraft, a U.S. Cessna and a Kenyan one, were destroyed along with two U.S. helicopters and multiple U.S. vehicles at the Manda Bay military airstrip. The report said explosions were heard at around 5:30 a.m. from the direction of the airstrip. The scene, now secured, indicated that al-Shabab likely entered \u201cto conduct targeted attacks,” the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to another internal report seen by the AP, dated Friday, a villager that day said he had spotted 11 suspected al-Shabab members entering Lamu’s Boni forest, which the extremists have used as a hideout. The report said Kenyan authorities did not find them.<\/p>\n\n\n\t