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The US military staged a high-level military operation at Magogoni Airfield in Lamu County to counter the threat posed by al Shabaab.
According to a statement issued on Saturday, the US Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) said the high-stakes operation was carried out jointly by the US Army and Air Force, under the 475th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron.
“The 475th EABS provides base operations and communications support for multiple mission partners to include a safe landing zone for logistics, personnel recovery and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms,” the statement said.
During the operation, the US military executed a range of missions, encompassing the establishment of a secure landing zone for logistical operations, personnel recovery missions, and the deployment of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms.
Among others, a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules from the 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron touched down at the military airfield during the exercise.
“The 75th EAS provides airlift support across East Africa, increasing regional access to generate the right effects, at the right place, at the right time,” DVIDS said in the statement.
While the US military plays a key role in training Kenyan soldiers, DVIDS did not reveal if the latest operation involved Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The 475th EABS is one of the key US units in Africa that provides base operations for 13 missions in Kenya and Somalia.
The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides material support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa.
The US support comes at a critical time in Kenya following a surge in terrorist attacks.
The terrorists breach the Kenya-Somalia border and attack in the region which have left dozens of people dead and others injured.
They have also been targeting property especially road projects derailing progress.
Officials say they fear there would be more attacks following intelligence reports that the terrorists have crossed in large numbers with an aim of more strikes.
Last week, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said at least 60 terrorists involved in August 1 attack in Lamu were killed.
The attack happened a day before the US troops conducted the operation in the area.
The attackers attacked five vehicles some of which were carrying at least 200 passengers at the intersection of Lamu and Tana River counties.
A police armored personnel carrier, which was responding to the scene was hit on both sides by an improvised explosive devise deflating one of its tyre.
The operation, Kindiki noted, was made possible due to the frequent patrols by elite security officers along the Lamu / Garsen road.
Kindiki said the government will enhance dominance patrols in the Northern Eastern and Upper Coastal regions to detect and neutralise terror attacks targeting civilians, security officers, critical infrastructure, and personnel, among them teachers, road construction engineers and hydrologists.
During Tuesday’s attack, at least two people were killed and 10 others injured in an attack by al Shabaab suspected terrorists at the border of Lamu and Tana River Counties.
Still on the same day, another terror gang targeted a passenger vehicle in Mandera. One passenger was injured in the attack.
The gang detonated an IED and fired assault weapons targeting a civilian vehicle along the road between Bambo and Jabi-bar injuring a civilian.
It came days after the same gang killed a police reservist and injured two others in Biyamathowa borehole 20 kilometers outside Dadaab refugee Camp in Garissa County. BY THE STAR