Nairobi, May 8 — The United States is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Abdullahi Banati, a senior commander of the militant group al-Shabaab, who is accused of masterminding a deadly attack on a U.S. military base in Kenya in 2020.
The U.S. Department of State made the announcement on Tuesday, saying Abdullahi Banati played a key role in planning and directing the Jan. 5, 2020 assault on Manda Bay Airfield, which killed three Americans - a U.S. Army soldier and two Department of Defense contractors.
The attack, carried out by al-Shabaab's Jaysh Ayman unit, involved rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire, damaging military aircraft and infrastructure. The unit, which operates in Kenya and Somalia, is believed to be under Ayman's direct command.
Abdullahi Banati was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the State Department in 2020.
"The United States is committed to bringing to justice those responsible for terrorist attacks against our citizens and interests," the State Department said in a statement.
The reward is being offered through the Rewards for Justice program, which has paid over $250 million since its inception in 1984.
