101st Airborne Deployed to Manda Bay After al-Shabab Attack
101st Airborne Deployed to Manda Bay After al-Shabab Attack by Kyle Rempfer - Army Times
Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team deployed to Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya on Jan. 5, according to Army officials.
The air assault troops were brought in by C-130 cargo aircraft to bolster security after an attack by al-Shabab militants. They were part of the previously announced East Africa Response Force that was dispatched to the facilities after an attack that included mortars and small arms fire, breached the base’s perimeter and damaged six aircraft.
“The 101st Airborne Division Soldiers, currently fulfilling the role as the East Africa Response Force, provide a unique capability to the combatant commander. They offer speed, agility, and security to handle contingency actions. This was demonstrated after the attack in Manda Bay, Kenya,” Army Col. Dave Foley, deputy commander of operations for the 101st, said in an official statement…