Deadly raid in Kenya carried out under ‘direction’ of al-Qaeda leadership, Shabaab says

[Valin]

Long War Journal

Thomas Joscelyn

January 9, 2020

Ali Mohamud Rage, a senior Shabaab official, says the attack on the Manda Bay Airfield earlier this week was “carried out under the guidance and direction” of al-Qaeda’s leaders.

Shabaab has released a video featuring its spokesman, Ali Mohamud Rage, who claims credit on behalf of the organization for the deadly raid on an airfield in Kenya earlier this week. Three Americans were killed and others wounded when the jihadists stormed the Manda Bay Airfield (Camp Simba) in a predawn raid. It is not clear how many casualties Kenya suffered. Several planes and equipment were also damaged in the raid.

In the video, Rage says the attack was “carried out under the guidance and direction of the leadership of al-Qaeda, foremost among them being Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri, may Allah protect him.”

Shabaab has repeatedly signaled its loyalty to al-Qaeda’s global leadership. And the group’s latest video is filled with footage of both Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. An archival clip of Zawahiri is featured at the beginning of the production.

Archival footage of Ayman al-Zawahiri addressing Muslims in Somalia is included at the opening of a new Shabaab video on the Manda Bay Airfield attack.

(Snip)