This archive report was first published on 7 January 2020.
On January 5, 2020, a devastating Al Shabaab attack occurred at Manda Bay in Lamu, Kenya, claiming the life of US military service member Henry Mayfield Jr.
His girlfriend, Bajah Crane, who also serves in the US military, took to Facebook to express her grief and share memories of their time together.
"I cannot believe I lost you," Crane wrote in a heartfelt post, accompanied by photos of the couple hanging out.
Crane's emotional tribute revealed her deep regret over Mayfield's deployment to Kenya, which she had not approved of.
"I never wanted you to be deployed. I never wanted you to be in Kenya," she wrote, expressing her pain and longing for one last conversation with her partner.
The US military confirmed Mayfield's death in a statement, along with the injuries sustained by two of his colleagues.
Commander of US Africa Command, Stephen Townsend, offered condolences to the families and friends of the fallen soldiers, vowing to pursue those responsible for the attack.
