The Al-Qaeda Branch in Somalia, Harakat Shabaab Mujahideen (HSM) carried out a dawn (istishhadi) suicide terrorist attack targeting Camp Simba, a Joint US and Kenya Army Special Operations Base in Manda, Lamu Prefecture, and a strategic area that joins the Coastal stretch with the North Eastern of the country. At Camp Simba, the US-Army has limited presence despite recent upgrades. However, the camp is used as launching pad for US-Air Force manned aircraft that conduct surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region.
United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) acknowledged there was an attack. Shabaab terror group issued a statement at 1000hrs EAT claiming the attack and at 1200hrs EAT published photos from the scene of terrorist event. In September 2019, the group had orchestrated a similar attack targeting the US Army Baledogle Special Ops and Airbase in Somalia.
The attack affected several surveillance and combat assets at the base. A number of Aircraft’s were damaged. Several vehicles and a fuel depot were affected. The attack did not degrade the camps operability hence of no strategic, tactical, and military value. Most of the affected assets were inoperable. The camp itself is a secret facility inside Manda Naval Base perimeter and significantly away from the main naval compound.
