CHICAGO, Illinois — A U.S. solider from the Chicago area was among three people killed in an attack on a military base in Kenya.
The family of Henry Mayfield Jr., 23, confirm the United States Army Specialist from south suburban Hazel Crest was killed early Sunday.
The pre-dawn raid happened at Manda Bay Airfield, a base shared by U.S. and Kenyan forces near Nairobi.
Mayfield joined the Army in 2018 after studying at Northern Illinois University. Mayfield’s mother says she last spoke to her son on New Year’s Day.
Two other Americans, both contractors with the U.S. Department of Defense, were also killed Sunday by al-Shabab, a group linked to Al-Qaeda, extremists at Manda Bay Airfield.
Officials said the fighting continued for hours where U.S. and Kenyan troops worked together to repel the assault, killing five attackers.
Two Department of Defense members were also wounded.
This article includes reporting from CNN.
