By KNA
Ten people were killed and several others seriously injured after heavily armed raiders raided Nasinya village in Marti, Muwa grin Sub- location Samburu North, Samburu County.
The raiders who are suspected to be from Baringo County attacked the village yesterday at around 5am and made away with 800 herds of cattle, leaving several people injured among them a Kenya Police Reservist.
Speaking to KNA in his office today, the Samburu County Commissioner Mr. Mohammed Birik, said that security personnel have been dispatched to the affected area to pursue the raiders and the stolen animals said to be headed towards Baringo East.
The County Commissioner said that the government would soon organize a major operation and use force to mop up illicit arms in Samburu North where illegal guns were of criminals, noting that innocent lives have been lost and thousands of livestock’s stolen.
The Administrator further said that one victim was yesterday brought to Maralal General Hospital for further treatment as others were treated at Baragoi Sub-County hospital.
Birik disclosed that most hot spots of insecurity where the government would focus on during the disbarment operation exercise include Marti, Baragoi, Kawop, Nachola and Suyan and warn raiders that their days were numbered.
The Commissioner asked all political leaders in Samburu North from Samburu, Turkana and Pokot communities to support the government effort to disarm the raiders as well as be at the forefront in advocating for peace, particularly this time as the country gears towards electioneering period.
Police sources indicated that the attack may have been in retaliation by some baidnts from a neihboring community.
The bandits are said to have executed simultaneous attacks before they fled with the hundreds of cattle.
So far 24 people have been killed in Samburu and Isiolo Counties in the last one week in conflicts linked to grazing land and cattle raids.
This latest incident comes hardly two days after 10 herders were killed in a pasture row between two pastoralist communities at Kom, Isiolo County.