The US government has announced a KES1.3 billion ($10 million) cash reward to anyone who can provide information that would help arrest a key suspect in the 2020 terrorist attack at Manda Bay Airfield in Lamu.

In a statement on Wednesday, May 8, the US, through its Somali Embassy, stated that anyone with information that can help it arrest the individuals should get in touch with the US Department of State through Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp (+1-202-975-9160). The suspect, Abdullahi Banati, is said to be one of the masterminds of the attack.

"The US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Abdullahi Banati or any other individual responsible for the January 5, 2020, terrorist attack on US and Kenyan personnel at the Manda Bay Airfield in Kenya," the statement read.

Somalia-based extremist group Alshabab attacked the base, which is utilized by Kenyan and US troops as a training and counterterrorism support centre on the dawn of Sunday, January 5, 2020.

The group attacked the base's airstrip, targeting US aircraft and vehicles using Rocket Propelled Grenades(RPG). The attack, which lasted for four hours, damaged two fixed-wing aircraft, a US Cessna and a Kenyan one, two US helicopters and vehicles.

According to the US, the attack claimed the lives of one US service member and two US Department of Defense (DoD) contractors and injured two US soldiers and one DoD contractor, and a Kenyan soldier.

"The Manda Bay Airfield is part of a Kenyan Defense Forces military base utilized by US armed forces to provide training and counterterrorism support to East African partners, respond to crises, and protect US interests in the region," the embassy said.

The US has warned that the extremist group continues to plan more terrorist attacks targeting the United States and its foreign partners.

"As the principal East African affiliate of the al-Qaeda terrorist organization, Al-Shabaab is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Kenya, Somalia, and neighbouring countries that have killed thousands of people, including US citizens," it stated.

According to the embassy, the reward is under the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ), a special program that has, over the past 40 years, paid out KES 32 billion ($250 million) to individuals providing critical information that has helped reinforce and protect US National Security.

Furthermore, Abdullahi Banati is the second person that the US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) is offering a bounty on regarding the Manda attack. It offered a similar reward in 2023, for anyone who could provide information about a Maalim Ayman who was identified as the leader of Jaysh Ayman and was profiled to be responsible for preparing the 2020 January attack at Manda Bay Airfield.

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