March 04, 2025 07:53 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Haryana Congress worker murder: Video emerges showing accused dragging suitcase with Himani Narwal's body inside it | Supreme Court slams 'oversmart' Samay Raina for making fun of proceedings in Canada, asks him to 'behave' | Indian woman facing death row in UAE for killing a child has been executed: Foreign ministry tells court | Crucial to have Trump’s support, says Zelenskyy a day after fiery White House exchange | 'We're looking for peace, Zelenskyy wants Russia-Ukraine war to continue': Donald Trump after White House public spat | Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuses to apologise to Donald Trump after public spat over Russia-Ukraine war | 'Make a deal or we are out': Donald Trump tells Volodymyr Zelenskyy at White House | Himachal govt seeks fund from temple to support welfare schemes, BJP calls move 'shocking' | Injustice to opposition MLAs: Atishi writes to Delhi Assembly Speaker on suspension of 21 AAP lawmakers | We will leave for US tomorrow: Father of Indian student Neelam Shinde after urgent visa grant

Kenya's Manda airstrip closed after al-Shabab attack

| @indiablooms | Jan 05, 2020, at 08:08 pm

Lamu, Kenya/Xinhua/UNI: Kenya's aviation authorities have closed indefinitely Manda airstrip following a dawn terror attack by al-Shabab militants early Sunday.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has also suspended all inbound and outbound flights to the airstrip located near the military base used by both Kenyan and U.S. forces.

Private airlines using the airstrip including Fly 540 and Fly Skyward Express have confirmed cancellations of their flights to the coastal region.

The development comes hours after the al-Qaida allied terrorist group, al-Shabab launched a daring attack on the airfield which is used by American and Kenyan forces in Lamu County.

The U.S. military has confirmed that there has been a terror attack on a military base at an airstrip that houses some U.S. forces.

"U.S. Africa Command acknowledges there was an attack at Manda Bay Airfield," said a spokesperson for U.S. Africa Command in a statement.

"As facts and details emerge, we will provide an update," said Africom of the dawn attack in which al-Shabab has claimed responsibility. There were no details of U.S. and Kenyan casualties.

However, the Kenyan army said it successfully repulsed the attack and instead killed four al-Shabab terrorists in the fighting.

The militant group which shared photos of the incident said it destroyed seven aircraft and three military vehicles in the attack.

However, security officials said only four aircrafts belonging to both Kenya (One) and America (three) were destroyed during the incident, noting that several American vehicles at the airstrip were also destroyed.

Security forces said they are holding five suspects in connection with the incident which analysts say is unrelated to tensions in the Middle East amid threats for revenge following the assassination of Iranian top military general Qasem Soleimani, who was taken down by U.S. forces in Iraq.  

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.