Shabaab jihadists attack US-Kenya military base

Jihadists from Somalia’s Al-Shabaab group yesterday attacked a military base used by US and Kenyan forces in Kenya’s coastal Lamu region, the army spokesman said. The strike on the base known as Camp Simba in Manda Bay near the picturesque tourist drawcard of Lamu Island is the latest by the group in Kenya since Nairobi sent troops across the border in 2011. Kenya’s army spokesman Colonel Paul Njuguna said in a statement that at 5:30am an attempt was made to breach security at Manda Air Strip which was repulsed. He claimed 4 jihadists have been killed.  The US military command for Africa, AFRICOM, confirmed there had been an attack in a brief statement. Al-Shabaab said there had been both Kenyan and American casualties, but this could not be immediately verified.