(KDRTV) – Reports from the USA have indicated that KDF might have lost some personnel during Sunday’s Al Shabaab attack at Camp Simba in Manda Bay, Lamu County.
The United States Africa Command (Africom) issued a statement on Sunday evening confirming that it had lost three US Citizens in the attack, with two more escaping with injuries. The injured were in a stable condition and were being evacuated.
“During an attack by al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida group in East Africa, earlier today, one US service member and two Department of Defense contractors were killed at Kenya Defense Force Military Base in Manda Bay, Kenya,” read part of the statement.
KDF, on the other hand, has not released any statement on the number of casualties it suffered. There has only been one statement shared on social media, which said that the soldiers had successfully repulsed the attack that started in the wee hours of Sunday morning. KDF further said that they recovered five bodies of terrorists which had been neutralised. There have been reports that five more suspected terrorists were arrested trying to purchase civilian clothes in Lamu.
“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 terrorist bodies have so far been found. The airstrip is safe,” KDF said in a statement on Sunday.
Multi-agency Forces engaged and successfully repulsed an attempted terrorist breach of Manda Air Strip.Following a military operation, 5 bodies of neutralised terrorists were recovered. Search for more is on-going.https://t.co/j2iQuXRDzc
— Kenya Defence Forces (@kdfinfo) January 5, 2020
KDF has also not said anything on the damage of equipment during the attack. Reports indicate that at least six planes and several armoured vehicles were destroyed during the attack.
Read Also: High Alert as Al Shabaab Terrorists are Arrested in Laikipia, Eastleigh Airbases
A US Senator has indicated that a number of Kenyan soldiers were killed together with the three Americans.
Jim Risch, the Chairman, of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took to social media to mourn the fallen soldiers.
“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,” The Senator tweeted.
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.
— U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (@SenateForeign) January 5, 2020
Like KDRTV Page. Subscribe to KDRTV Newsletter. Advertise with us. Send us inquiries, press releases
