Christian Craighead recounts Nairobi terror attack on Shawn Ryan Show

Former British SAS operator Christian Craighead joined The Shawn Ryan Show to give his first detailed personal account of the 2019 DusitD2 attack in Nairobi, Kenya. The interview ties his rescue mission, which helped save more than 700 lives, to the release of his memoir One Man In.

Why it matters: - Christian Craighead is describing the DusitD2 attack in Nairobi in detail for the first time publicly. - The account adds a firsthand perspective on one of Kenya’s most high-profile terrorist attacks and on the actions that helped save hundreds of civilians. - The interview also supports the release of Craighead’s memoir, One Man In, which documents the operation minute by minute.

What happened: - Former British SAS operator Christian Craighead appeared on The Shawn Ryan Show to discuss his response to the 2019 al-Shabaab attack at Nairobi’s DusitD2 complex. - Craighead says he acted on his own after receiving a call from a former British soldier trapped inside the attack. - Craighead was off duty at his home in Nairobi when he decided to go to the complex. - He grabbed his equipment and went to the scene within minutes. - Craighead entered the attack alone at first, then worked with Kenyan security forces. - The 22-hour operation involved a suicide bombing, gunfire, grenades and close-quarters fighting. - Craighead says he helped save more than 700 lives and neutralized the attackers. - The actions earned Craighead the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

The details: - Craighead has nearly three decades of military experience. - His memoir, One Man In, is a 224-page book covering the attack, his training, his decisions and his response. - The book describes the event as a minute-by-minute account of the assault and rescue effort. - The new Shawn Ryan interview takes Craighead from the moment he chose to respond through entering the complex, confronting the attackers and helping civilians escape. - The episode includes American survivor Meyli Chapin, who Craighead saved during the attack. - Chapin describes her experience of the attack, how Craighead saved her life and their reunion a year later. - One Man In is available now on all major book platforms. - The episode is available now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the show episode page.

Between the lines: - Craighead’s return to the show fulfills a promise he made in his earlier appearance to tell the full story if he was ever able to do so. - The interview frames the attack not only as a military response, but also as a rescue mission centered on civilian survival. - The inclusion of Chapin broadens the episode from a combat narrative into a survivor account.

What's next: - The interview is now live across major podcast and video platforms. - Craighead’s memoir gives readers a longer version of the same story in book form. - The episode may drive renewed attention to the DusitD2 attack and to Craighead’s role in it.

The bottom line: - Craighead is using both a major podcast appearance and a memoir release to tell, in full, the story he says he could not publicly share for years.