Al Shabaab terror group has threatened to attack American targets across the world days after it hit a military camp that hosts Kenyan and US troops in Lamu county.
The Sunday attack claimed the life of serviceman Henry Mayfield Jr and two Department of Defence contractors, injuring two other American personnel.
Soon after the assault, Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said the perpetrators of the Manda Bay military camp attack would be brought to justice.
But the resurgent Somalia-based terrorists promised “further bloodshed” against American soldiers and civilians alike.
Notably, the attack on Manda Bay was the deadliest in terms of American combat deaths in Africa since 2017, and according to the Telegraph, is likely to renew calls from the Donald Trump administration isolationists to reduce US troop numbers on the continent.
Shabaab has since September attacked the United States, in what experts say is retaliation for increased US drone strikes targeting the group’s leadership since Donald Trump became president in January 2017.
Last year, there was an unsuccessful attack on American troops stationed at Baledogle near Mogadishu, which failed to inflict casualties
Gen Stephen Townsend, Africom’s commanding officer has said the terror group remains strong and warned of it’s potential to cause more damage.
“Al Shabaab is ruthless and must be dealt with before the network expands its reach to other places, to include their stated desire to strike US citizens on the US homeland,” he said.
