Why are the Americans military men at AFRICOM Waffling, Talking Back, and Looking Down on Kenya Army (KDF) after the terrorist group Al-Qaeda attacked their assets and killed their contractors and a soldier?
Days after the attack, AFRICOM issued multiple and unnecessary updates about the attack, abandoning tradition and engaging on a war of rhetoric with terrorists propagandists. This is a notable, for it is unethical to respond to terrorists propaganda, instead, a well thought and fact-filled statement as usual is enough. Now, AFRICOM Officials engaged media and gave baffling statements that hardly reflect their perceived clout and worse, went ahead to provide incredibly stupid view about their strategic partners Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) who actually saved them. The ramifications of such carelessness is often catastrophic. It affects cooperation, erodes public confidence on AFRICOM, and gives terrorists plenty of mileage. Could this have been one of the objectives of the terror group or the AFRICOM Media Team is incompetent?
On 5th of January 2020, the Al-Qaeda terrorist group alongside its affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Shabaab Mujahideen (HSM) conducted an attack targeting the United States and Kenya military assets and personnel using the joint military airstrip a distance away from both Camp Simba US-Army facility and Kenya Navy Base in Manda Bay. The airstrip is largely used and manned by the US Army Personnel and partly Kenya Navy sentries. This is the 1st direct Al-Qaeda funded and led attack on US & Kenya in many years.
Battle Damage Assessment (BDA)
4 American and 2 Kenyan Aircrafts were destroyed besides 4 American technical vehicles. 3 Americans were killed, a soldier and 2 defense contractors. Camp Simba, a heavily fortified US-Army facility was not the target nor was it affected neither was the expansive Kenya Navy Base at Manda Bay in Lamu. The target was the American Military surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft’s, particularly one (De Havilland Dash-8 twin-engine turboprop configured for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions) which was spotted over Libya in 2017. A Configured Beechcraft King Air was also destroyed and burned out while Kenyan Cessna Grand Caravan, and two U.S. helicopters got damaged. The airstrip, largely used by the US-Army team was poorly protected by the sentries that morning in what had become a routine which was exploited by the terrorists, hence a matter of carelessness by the United States Military personnel assigned guard duties.
The Kenya Army deployed a helicopter gunship to track, trace and destroy enemy combatants. Troops on general Guard duties brilliantly countered the terrorist and successfully killed 5 during the initial stages of the attack. This contradicts AFRICOM’s claim that soldiers hid in the grass, and in any case, soldiers don’t engage the enemy without cover and tactical advantage, further confirming prejudice and ignorance in the claim.
Careless and Arrogant American Sentries
Intelligence shows that the US Army guard duties team at the airstrip is arrogant and laid back. The sentries roles remains to secure the airstrip and personnel by patrolling the general area; monitoring surveillance equipment; inspecting buildings, equipment, and access points; permitting entry, all which they did not. The US-Army guard duties team was tasked to prevent losses and damage to the assets and the airstrip by restraining trespassers, which they did not. Most of these sentries were sleeping in the armored vehicles which were destroyed by the terrorists.
The Kenya Army (KDF) team assigned Guard Duties was alert and responded to the attack promptly besides successfully countered it killing all the attackers at the airstrip and pursued dozens others in the bush.
Intelligence further confirms that the US Sentries team do not adhere to security procedures, are unprofessional, and near-impossible to work with. Military intelligence further confirms that the team does not allow Non-Americans near their sentry points for joint guard duties or patrols and worse, they stick to obvious routines further making their responsibilities vulnerable. A review by Military Intelligence recommends that there should be a re-consideration on this relationship to improve operability and security.
An Al-Qaeda Attack and American’s Intelligence Failure.
Camp Simba Airstrip attack was not an Al-Shabaab attack per-se, it was an Al-Qaeda Central Attack. For over 1 year, intelligence about an attack on the facility was there. Actually, days before the attack the FAA issued a warning about such possible threats in Kenya. Previously, intelligence collected by the Americans showed there was a threat. The intelligence included SIGNIT, HUMINT, and OSINT, further confirming incidents of intelligence failure by AFRICOM team at Camp Simba and flashes light on similar intelligence mistakes such as the 9/11 bombings by the same Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda sent 3 operatives to Somalia in April 2019 to train and handpick Al-Shabaab militants who would conduct the attack. One of these Al-Qaeda operatives was killed by an AFRICOM drone in Southern Somalia during an insertion mission.
AFRICOM seems oblivious of the role KDF played at the time. Most US soldiers were sleeping in the vehicles and were lucky to survive after they were covered by Kenyan soldiers. The US-Army sentries should be held accountable for the events and poor display of their perceived skills. The officials who made statements and mentioned Kenya Defense Forces seem prejudiced with “African Armies are Poorly Skilled Syndrome” which is unprofessional and a display of ignorance.
