Somalia’s al-Shabaab poses heightened regional threat

Subject

Al-Shabaab's threat to Kenya and regional military forces.

Significance

Somali jihadist group al-Shabaab on January 5 launched a deadly attack on US and Kenyan forces at the Camp Simba airstrip in Kenya’s Lamu County. During the four-hour raid, al-Shabaab destroyed numerous aircraft and vehicles on the airstrip, and killed one US soldier and two US contractors, while wounding two other Department of Defense personnel, according to statements from the US Africa Command (AFRICOM).

Impacts

• Al-Shabaab will assess other possible targets for vulnerabilities; Kenya has already arrested suspects observing UK and Kenyan bases.
• The attack’s success will raise questions about force protection measures at bases in the region, particularly in vulnerable areas.
• Kenya’s insistence that none of its soldiers was killed in the attack will further erode its poor reputation for honesty on such issues.