Close to 100 feared dead in Turkana, Baringo fighting

Close to 100 people are feared dead after two nights of attacks and reprisals between two pastoralist communities in Turkana and Baringo counties.

Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Osman Warfa was non-committal on the exact number of deaths but confirmed a security team has been flown into the area following fighting between the Pokot and Turkana communities.

But reliable security sources on the ground revealed that, as at Tuesday morning, 93 people had been killed.

The fighting began at about 4pm on Monday after hundreds of raiders, believed to be from Turkana, attacked Nadome village in Turkana East and shot dead some herdsmen before escaping with their animals towards Lomelo and Katilu in Turkana South.

Mr Warfa confirmed 46 deaths on the first day of fighting.

The death toll is believed to have risen after Pokot herdsmen retaliated Tuesday, resulting in a fierce battle that continued for most of the day.

“A team of officers have just flown to the area, so let us wait for them to give us a final tally,” Mr Warfa said when asked about the death toll.

Security sources and senior administrators on the ground said armed Turkana raiders overran ten Manyattas at Nadome on Monday, indiscriminately killing people and stealing animals. Although the attack took place at a village in Turkana East, the area is mostly occupied by Pokots.

“Boundary disputes are the underlying factor behind the attacks,” said a senior government official who sought anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The raiders are believed to have changed course and driven towards Silale and Naudo after they were ambushed by a security team from Kapedo.

“This time round the raiders did not resort to the Lomelo and Nakwachula escape routes,” said a police source. “Some are believed to have headed to the feared Suguta Valley instead.”

The rough geographical terrain and poor communication network makes it difficult for security teams, including Kenya Defence Forces soldiers based at Kapedo, to pursue the raiders.

“The fight is taking place in deep remote valleys away from Lokori, the Turkana East headquarters and Kapedo in Pokot East,” added the police source.

Members of the Turkana and Pokot communities are involved in recurrent attacks caused by cattle raids and boundary disputes.

Earlier on Sunday additional security personnel were deployed along the Turkana East and East Pokot boundary in response to renewed fighting.

Baringo County Commissioner Peter Okwanyo said armed Pokots had earlier attacked a village in Baringo North and made away with over 100 goats.

“These are provocative attacks and the security team in Turkana East needs to arrest the culprits to quell the heightened tensions,” said Mr Okwanyo.

Armed rustlers killed 19 Administration Police officers and three civilians in November last year and made away with over 2,000 rounds of ammunition resulting to a joint operation by the army and the police.

About 200 people have lost their lives over the past one year in these attacks between the two communities despite intervention by the government, local leadership and humanitarian agencies.