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In addition to the casualties, six contractor-operated civilian aircraft were reportedly damaged to some degree, the U.S. Africa Command news release said.

The Kenyan military base has housed U.S. military personnel for years. It is unclear how many American personnel are stationed at the base that has reportedly been a site for U.S. special operations forces operating in Somalia.

\"We remain committed to preventing al-Shabaab from maintaining a safe haven to plan deadly attacks against the U.S. homeland, East African and international partners,\" Townsend said in the Sunday afternoon news release.

\"PHOTO:
AP
PHOTO: The al-Shabab extremist group said Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, that it has attacked the Camp Simba military base used by U.S. and Kenyan troops in coastal Kenya.
>

Earlier, al-Shabab had said in a statement that some of its fighters had launched \"a daring dawn raid on a U.S. naval base known as 'Camp Simba' in Lamu County, Kenya.\"

The al-Qaeda affiliate claimed that their fighters had taken control of a portion of the base, a claim that could not be verified.

Last week, al-Shabab carried out a car bomb attack in the heart of Mogadishu that killed at least 80 civilians.

\"PHOTO:
Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer/AP
PHOTO: In this photo taken Aug. 26, 2019 and released by the U.S. Air Force, A C-130J Super Hercules approaches for landing at Camp Simba, Manda Bay, Kenya. The al-Shabab extremist group said Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020 that it has attacked the military base.
>

\"Al-Shabab is a brutal terrorist organization,\" U.S Army Maj. Gen. William Gayler in a statement. \"It is an Al-Qaeda affiliate seeking to establish a self-governed Islamic territory in East Africa, to remove Western influence and ideals from the region, and to further its jihadist agenda. U.S. presence in Africa is critically important to counter-terrorism efforts.\"

About 500 U.S. troops are stationed inside Somalia assisting and advising that country's military in its fight against the terror group.

ABC News' Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.

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