What happened

An estimated 15-30 Al-Shabaab fighters crossed 50-70 miles from Somalia to launch a coordinated mortar-and-ground assault on the lightly defended US airfield and Camp Simba base complex at Manda Bay, Kenya, in the early hours of 5 January 2020. The attackers destroyed six contractor-operated aircraft, including sophisticated surveillance platforms, in equipment losses estimated above $20 million, and killed US Army Specialist Henry Mayfield Jr. along with DoD contractors Dustin Harrison and Bruce Triplett; two more contractors and a Marine Raider were wounded, while at least five Al-Shabaab fighters were killed. Al-Shabaab claimed the attack and circulated celebratory propaganda. US Africa Command subsequently reinforced the base with an East Africa Response Force and acknowledged, through General Stephen Townsend, that the facility had not been as prepared as required; security upgrades followed, and Kenya received six MD-530F attack helicopters days later.

When cited sources give different casualty, damage or spill figures for this event, they’re reported side by side above rather than merged into one number. See how confidence levels work.