Somalia’s al-Shabaab attack on US-Kenya base leaves 3 Americans dead

One American military service member and two US Department of Defense (DoD) contractors have been killed in an attack on a Kenyan base used by US troops.

The Somalia-based al-Shabab terrorist group claimed responsibility for the Sunday attack which also left two DoD members wounded, according to the US military command for Africa (AFRICOM).

The names of the killed soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin, AFRICOM noted.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s army spokesman Colonel Paul Njuguna, in a statement, described as abortive the attempt “to breach security at Manda Air Strip,” located on Kenya’s coast near the border with Somalia. 

“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,” he said.

Al-Shabaab militants stormed the base, using indirect and small-arms fire, AFRICOM reported. It added that the militants overran the base, but were repelled by US forces after an initial penetration, which led to the deaths of at least five militants and the seizure of weapons including four AK47 rifles.

Al-Shabaab said in a statement that “seven aircraft and three military vehicles were destroyed in the attack.”

The terror group later posted photos of the aircraft ablaze and an al-Shabaab militant standing nearby.

Meanwhile, an internal Kenyan police report said two fixed-wing aircraft, a US Cessna and a Kenyan one, were destroyed in addition to two US helicopters and multiple US vehicles.

The al-Qaeda-linked militants have been waging an insurgency for more than a decade in neighboring Somalia. 

In September, they launched two separate attacks on a US military base and a European Union military convoy in the country.

In 2011, the terrorist group was pushed out of Somalia’s capital city with the help of African Union forces.

However, al-Shabaab still wields power in rural areas across the country, and every now and then launches deadly terrorist attacks against government, military, and civilian targets in the capital, as well as regional towns.

Al-Shabab launches attacks against US airbase, EU convoy in Somalia

The al-Shabab militant group launches two separate attacks on a US military base and a convoy of European Union military personnel in Somalia.

Al-Shabaab militants have fought successive Somali governments as well as neighboring governments in Uganda and Kenya, the latter of which sent troops to Somalia in 2011 to fight the Takfiri group as part of the African Union forces.

Somalia has faced instability and violence since 1991, when the military government was overthrown.

Three arrested for trying to breach British army camp

Also on Sunday, three men tried in vain to break into a British army camp in Laikipia in central Kenya, according to a report seen by Reuters.

The attempt captured on a security camera was foiled by officers who arrested the men, police said in the report, noting that they were being questioned by anti-terrorism officers.

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