Al-Shabab, the Al Qaeda-connected terrorist group, attacked Camp Simba, a military base in Kenya that is used by both U.S. and Kenyan troops in Lamu County, Kenya.

The effort reportedly included a suicide car bombing. But the attack failed, with at least four of the terrorists being killed and five arrested.

JUST IN – Alshabab Fighters claim responsibility – A Military Base in Manda Bay ,Lamu was attacked this morning . Gunshots can still be heard . pic.twitter.com/YI19ZvxeNG

— Hussein Mohammed (@huseinmoha) January 5, 2020

Sounds of gunshots and explosions could be heard – Lamu Resident pic.twitter.com/3bAo7qoFcN

— Hussein Mohammed (@huseinmoha) January 5, 2020

Initial reports were that there have been no American or Kenyan casualties. Typically, al Shabab claims there were. Spokesman Col. Christopher Karns termed al-Shabab’s claims, including that of inflicting severe casualties, “grossly exaggerated.” Africom says “an accountability of personnel assessment is underway.”

Some U.S. aircraft and vehicles were destroyed during the attack, according to U.S. authorities, but the airstrip is closed for now. The U.S. military calls the situation “fluid,” earlier reports from the Kenyan military said that the base had been secured, but they report they repelled the attack.

From AP:

Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaida, is based in neighboring Somalia and has launched a number of attacks in Kenya. The group has been the target of a growing number of U.S. airstrikes during President Donald Trump’s administration.

The latest attack comes just over a week after an al-Shabab truck bomb in Somalia’s capital killed at least 79 people and U.S. airstrikes killed seven al-Shabab fighters in response.

Last year al-Shabab attacked a U.S. military base inside Somalia. The extremist group has carried out multiple attacks against Kenyan troops in the past in retaliation for Kenya sending troops to Somalia to fight it. Al-Shabab also has attacked civilian targets in Kenya including buses, schools and shopping malls.

There is no indication that this has a relation to the killing of IRGC terrorist leader Qasem Soleimani. While al-Shabab is an al-Qaeda connected group and is Sunni and Iran is Shia, there have been reports of funding to al Shabab from Iran. The terrorists are also making money by using Iran as a transit point for illicit shipments of charcoal exports, which is garnering the group millions of dollars.

But given that the U.S. just hit them with airstrikes in retaliation for a bombing last week, they have already been in a battle with U.S forces in the region and already attacked a U.S.base last year, there’s no reason to connect it to Iran. This is more along the lines of the people who have been our enemies and wanted to kill us, still do. Indeed, Al Jazeera is reporting that an al-Shabab spokesperson said it is not related.

But stay tuned for the hot takes from people who will just have discovered that we’re fighting al-Shabab there and tag this to the Soleimani action. Or who will make no connection but just use it to attack the administration anyway.

This is a developing report and will be updated if reports change.