US soldier, 2 defense contractors killed in Kenya base attack that was repelled

US soldier, 2 defense contractors killed in Kenya base attack that was repelled A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules approaches Camp Simba, Manda Bay, Kenya, in this file photo. The al-Shabab extremist group said Sunday it attacked the Camp Simba military base used by U.S. and Kenyan troops. (Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer/U.S. Air Force via AP)

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

One U.S. soldier and two Department of Defense contractors were killed Sunday morning in an attack by the al- Shabab extremist group in Kenya, the U.S. Africa Command confirmed in a tweet.

Two defense contractors were also injured, U.S. Africa command said in a news release.

The terrorist group said in a statement it had staged a dawn raid on Camp Simba in southeastern Kenya.

“There was an attack, but they have been repulsed,” Irungu Macharia, the commissioner for Lamu, told Agence France-Presse.

In a statement, the Kenya Defense Forces said four terrorists were killed, The New York Times reported. The military said that the insurgents had unsuccessfully tried to breach an airstrip.