This archive report was first published on 8 January 2020.
On January 8, 2020, a contingent of American crisis response soldiers was stationed at Manda Bay to enhance security after the military base was attacked by Al Shabaab fighters on Sunday.
The East Africa Response Force (EARF) was deployed to secure the base, which has both Kenyan and American military presence.
According to US Africa Command (Africom), the EARF provides a critical combat-ready, rapid deployment force. Major General William Gayler, Africom's Director of Operations, stated, "The EARF provides a critical combat-ready, rapid deployment force. The EARF's ability to respond to events spanning a vast area of responsibility provides a proven and invaluable on-call reinforcement capability in times of need," on Tuesday.
EARF responds to a broad range of military operations, including the protection of US citizens and diplomatic facilities, support for non-combatant evacuation operations, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations, and other missions as directed.
The deployment comes as Africom revealed that terrorists who were repulsed in the attack penetrated through a perimeter to launch their assault.
On January 8, 2020, The Nation reported that the unknown number of Shabaab fighters gained entry to the airstrip through Chandavai in Hindi, where they disconnected power before launching their attack.
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and Africom personnel then repelled the attack involving indirect and small arms fire.
Africom later confirmed that it lost three service members in the pre-dawn attack that also saw five terrorists dead.
Following the attack, KDF reported that one PKM gun, four RPG launchers, four AK 47 rifles, a hand grenade, and assorted ammunition were recovered.
