Today marks the 15th anniversary of al-Qaeda’s terrorist attacks against the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which killed innocent Americans and Africans. On this day, we honor the families of the twelve Americans who lost their lives, and we join with the people and governments of Kenya and Tanzania honoring the sacrifices of the African victims of this heinous act, which killed over 200 and wounded over 5,000.
Last month, I was honored to pay tribute to those who lost their lives, and to meet with some of the survivors, at a memorial to the fallen in Dar es Salaam. The United States is steadfast in our commitment to protect the American men and women who dutifully serve our nation overseas, and we will remain resolute in working with our partners to combat violent extremism in East Africa, across the region, and around the world. We continue to stand with our East African partners to bring terrorists to justice and will carry on our efforts to prevent these attacks in the future. On this day of remembrance, we extend our deepest thoughts and prayers to the families of those killed and wounded in the 1998 attack, and we join with our friends and partners in East Africa and around the globe in honoring their memory by building a safer, more secure, and more prosperous world.