ISIOLO, Kenya – Clashes between tribesmen in the remote, arid
northern region of Kenya that borders Ethiopia killed at least 19 people and
security has been beefed up in case of more reprisals, officials said
Tuesday.
Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Osman Warfa told Reuters 19 Kenyans died
in fighting with raiders from the Merrille tribe, also know as the Dassenech,
from Ethiopia.
Cattle rustling and clashes over grazing land and access to water are
relatively common in the region, though the extent of the casualties this week
has concerned local officials.
"Our team has assessed the situation and established that the attackers were
from the Merrille community from Ethiopia who had come inside Kenya," Osman
said.
"Security has been beefed up. We have deployed more security forces and we
are liaising with the Ethiopian government to restore calm and contain the
situation," he said.
Another government official in northern Kenya said 21 Kenyans had died along
with four Ethiopian tribesman in a series of tit-for-tat clashes along the
border.
He said one Kenyan died in an initial raid into Turkana by the Merille. The
Kenyan tribesman retaliated, killed four Ethiopians and pursued one man who
escaped. But the Kenyans came under attack again and 20 were killed, the
official said.
The Ethiopian government said it was checking on the reports but did not have
an immediate comment. Reuters
