The U.S. government has issued a new warning to civilian airlines operating in Kenyan airspace to be on the lookout for possible militant attacks, which might add to the concerns in the tourism industry as it recovers from the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Saturday that the advice is based on assessments that Al-Shabaab, a Somalia-based terrorist group, is still active and has weapons capable of attacking the Kenyan airspace.
The FAA has issued a warning for flight routes connecting Nairobi to far eastern countries such as Dubai (UAE), India, and China, as well as other significant airline destinations.
Planes flying these routes fly across eastern Kenya counties like Garissa before landing in Somalia.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said four Al-Shabaab militants were killed early Saturday near Sarira, Boni Forest, in Lamu County, which borders Somalia.
“The militants were trying to cross the common border into Kenya during the early morning encounter. Others in the group escaped with multiple injuries to the neighbouring country,” the KDF said in a statement.
Al-Shabaab attacked a U.S. military post in Lamu in January 2020, killing one soldier and two contractors.