Kenya: Three Killed In Banditry Attack

Three people including a National Police Reservist were on Saturday killed at Mlango in Burat ward, Isiolo, Kenya by bandits.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said a manhunt for the criminals and efforts to recover a firearm that was stolen from the police they killed continues.

The attackers are thought to have crossed from neighbouring Samburu County and were looking for camels in the area.

This came just days after two other people were slain in a similar clash in the Loruko neighbourhood.

The armed group ambushed and killed the two ranchers before turning on the police reservist who tried to fight them.

According to police, the attackers stole the deceased's firearm as well as livestock from the region.

This has raised tensions and fears of retaliation among those impacted.

Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said more personnel had been sent to the area to boost an operation on the gangs raiding Isiolo.

“We are coordinating with other leaders to address this menace,” he said.

According to officials, the attack takes the total number of deaths in the area in the last two weeks to ten.

Local leaders and residents have accused the government of doing too little to put an end to the needless killings in the area.

They want the area to be included in the curfew and anti-illegal arms operations.

Locals bemoaned the fact that the difficult area was gradually becoming a battlefield, robbing women of their husbands and children of their parents.

They want security agencies to boost up efforts to put an end to banditry attacks on the Isiolo side.