A terrorist organization, al-Shabaab, attacked a Kenyan airfield. The assault killed 3 Americans, 1 Tucson man among them.

The 3 consisted of two U.S. Department of Defense contractors and one U.S. Army soldier. While U.S. officials only released the name of the soldier, Specialist Henry J. Mayfield Jr., 23, a Facebook post revealed a second. As reported by Tucson.com, the man’s wife posted about her loss on the social media site.

Hope Harrison identified her husband as one of the two defense contractors killed in the terrorist attack. Her husband, Dustin Harrison, flew transport planes. Further research conducted by Tucson.com found Harrison worked for L3Harris Technologies, a global defense and aerospace company.

Hope and Dustin were married for several years and have a young daughter.

Terrorist Organization Poses Threat to Region

Al-Shabaab’s attack proved considerably effective, despite their militants’ light arms. Their fire managed to destroy five U.S. fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Their target, the Manda Bay Airfield, houses key U.S. counterterrorism forces for the East African country. Additionally, U.S. forces use the base to train African military.

This attack follows a deadly car bombing last month in Somalia claimed by the terrorist group. In Mogadishu, a van loaded with explosives detonated, killing 79 and wounding an additional 149. Subsequently, American airstrikes retaliated, striking sites occupied by al-Shabaab fighters.

American efforts to thwart operations carried out by al-Shabaab serve as an extension in the broader campaign against Islamist terrorism. The group, with ties to al-Qaeda, consists of around 9,000 members that prey on rural African communities. Furthermore, their brutal control seeks to impose the strictest interpretation of Sharia law.

In the absence of governmental control, these small, radicalized groups seize control.

The federal Kenyan government forged more substantial control over its capital in recent years, though it continues to struggle in the fight opposing al-Shabaab’s operations in the country.