NAIROBI (CNS): “We are condemning the attack, which has disrupted peace and tranquility in the region,” Father Wilybard Lagho, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Mombasa, Kenya said after a terror attack on January 5 killed a United States (US) serviceman and two Department of Defense contractors, and forced local people to flee.
The attack, by the-al Qaida linked al-Shabab terror group, on a military base in Manda Bay, Lamu County, also resulted in injuries to two other Americans according to the US Africa Command.
“I think the war on terror is redefining itself in the global scale. We are likely to see dormant terror cells reawakening,” Father Lagho added, sounding an alarm.
It is feared that the attack—which occurred amid increasing tension in the Middle East—could be an act of revenge linked to the recent killing of top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani. It also could be retaliation for US airtstrikes targeting al-Shabab fighters after a truck bomb in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, killed at least 79 people.
US forces use the base to provide training and offer counterterrorism support to East African countries.
Kenyans reportedly fled the area in large numbers, fearing further attacks. In the past, al-Shabab has targeted churches, Christians, public places and government installations.
On January 2, militants struck a bus convoy, killing at least three people.
Father Nicholas Mutua, justice and peace coordinator in the Diocese of Garissa, which covers some parts Lamu County, said the Church is extremely worried about its clergy in the area.
“They are hitting soft targets (including churches). I think this is about revenge. It’s a time bomb, and the government must act fast to ensure the people are safe,” Father Mutua said, adding that Church officials are constantly monitoring the developments.
