U.S. Offers Sh1.29 Billion Bounty for Al-Shabaab Terror Mastermind Behind Deadly Manda Bay Attack

The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million (approximately Sh1.29 billion) for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Abdullahi Banati, a key Al-Shabaab operative linked to multiple deadly terrorist attacks in Kenya, including the 2020 assault on Manda Bay Airfield.

Banati, identified as a central figure in the Jaysh Ayman terror unit, allegedly played a crucial role in planning the January 5, 2020 pre-dawn attack that killed one U.S. soldier and two Department of Defense contractors, while wounding three others at the military facility in Lamu County.

“Banati was one of the individuals involved in the operational planning of the January 5, 2020 attack on Manda Bay Airfield,” the U.S. Department of State said in a statement released Wednesday.

“Al-Shabaab — al-Qaeda’s principal affiliate in East Africa — is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Kenya, Somalia, and neighboring countries that have killed thousands of people, including U.S. citizens.”

This marks the second substantial bounty offered by the State Department’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program in connection with the Manda Bay attack.

Last year, the U.S. announced a similar reward for information on Maalim Ayman, the leader of Jaysh Ayman, who was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in November 2020.

The Manda Bay facility serves as a critical hub for U.S. counterterrorism operations in East Africa, providing training and support to regional partners while protecting American interests in the volatile region.

Kenyan security agencies have been pursuing Banati for nearly a decade, with intelligence linking him to several of Kenya’s most devastating terrorist attacks.

According to Kenyan police, Banati joined Al-Shabaab in 2012 and has since been implicated in multiple high-profile incidents, including:

– The 2013 Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi, which killed 67 people
– The 2015 Garissa University College massacre, where he allegedly hosted the perpetrators
– The 2019 DusitD2 hotel complex attack in Nairobi that claimed 21 lives

Authorities believe Banati has played a pivotal role in facilitating the movement of terrorists from Somalia into Kenya for these operations.

Despite intensive efforts by Kenyan security forces, Banati has remained elusive.

The substantial U.S. reward underscores the continued threat posed by Al-Shabaab in the region and highlights ongoing international cooperation in combating terrorism in East Africa.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​