Crisis ended Kenya Supported by: Ahmad Umar Mahad Karate Mahir Khalid Riziki † Osman Ahmad Hassan † Muhammed Adam Nur † Abdulqani Arab Yusuf † From the 15 to 16 January 2019, a coordinated attack against civilians occurred at the DusitD2 complex in Westlands District, Nairobi, Kenya.
Four attackers associated with Harakat Al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen carried out a mass shooting for over 22 hours which left 21 civilians, one Kenyan soldier and all five militants dead.
Kenya had targeted Al-Shabaab during its intervention in the Somali Civil War on behalf of the Federal Government of Somalia and the regional state of Jubaland.
[4][15][16][17] The Recce company, the anti terrorism division of the Kenya police force, General Service Unit, were sent in to combat the militants.
[citation needed] A British SAS operator, who was in the country to conduct training, responded to the attack and entered the complex.
[19] Known by his nom-de-guerre, Christian Craighead, he wore a shield badge on his tactical vest and a balaclava over his face, while indicating an "Agent" insignia to bystanders.
Both individuals were seen on the mainstream media clips escorting groups of hostages and carrying wounded ones, before running back into the complex while the attackers were shooting down on them.
[24][25] Australian High Commission security detail also exchanged fire with the terrorists as they made their way into the complex, injuring one attacker.
[37] Mahir Khalid Riziki, (born February 5th 1993), also known as Jibril, was the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the Secret Garden Restaurant on 14 Riverside Drive.
Abdulqani Arab Yusuf, also known as Farhaan Dheere, was born in Somalia and was of the Muhammed Zubayr sub-clan of the Ogaden clan.
Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack shortly after in a statement released via Telegram by the AS-affiliated "Shahada News Agency".
Al-Shabaab stated that the external attack unit known as the "Saleh Nabhan battalion", named after the Al Qaeda operative killed in a drone strike in Somalia, was responsible.
On the day of the attack, the suspects put their household items up for sale on Facebook, announcing plans to move out of Nairobi.
The Toyota Ractis driven by Ali Salim Gichunge to the entrance of the DusitD2 complex is later found to have been rigged with explosives, which are later detonated by police shortly after.
The writing on the bandana corroborates with the statement released by Al-Shabaab claiming that the attack was retribution for the US recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
In January 2023, the US Department of State's Rewards for Justice program offered a USD $10 Million dollar reward for Mohamoud Abdi Aden, who is believed to have been part of an operational cell to have aided the attackers On 17 January, the Kenya Red Cross Society informed the public that all who had earlier been listed as missing had been accounted for.
[49][48] In the game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), the playable operator “Otter” is based on the British SAS trooper Christian Craighead.
The Ministry of Defence refused to grant express prior authority to publish this book, which Craighead sought to overturn in the courts; however, his appeal was dismissed.