Two killed, girls abducted in Mandera clan fight

By CYRUS OMBATI

MANDERA; KENYA: Two people were Thursday night killed and two girls abducted in fresh inter-clan fighting in Rhamu, Mandera County.

Police say eight camels were also killed in the attack that targeted one of the two main clans living the area.

Residents said the deceased and abducted were members of the Degodia clan. The Degodia and Garreh have been fighting in the past months over distribution of resources.

The attack occurred on Thursday night in a village and by the time police arrived, the attackers had left, said North Eastern police boss Charlton Mureithi.

He added they have initiated negotiations between the clans in efforts to trace the missing girls.

“We are yet to locate them but we are involving locals to ensure the problem is solved” he said.

The incident came after weeks of calm following a meeting between leaders from the two clans who asked the government to urgently provide police with 12 vehicles they need for their operations against crime.

They also asked the government to launch a forceful disarmament exercise if the current voluntary one fails to yield any fruits.

The leaders from Mandera and Wajir Counties met at the Office of the President, Nairobi to discuss inter-clan attacks that have been persistent in the past month alone leaving more than 25 people dead and scores displaced.

They also demanded that Kenya liaises with Ethiopia in an effort to address the challenge in which the Degodia and Garreh clans have been clashing.

MP Maamud Mohamed said they agreed to organise a peace caravan in the area to spread a message of peace.

MP Adan Keynan asked the locals to stop fighting and focus on development in the wake of the devolution.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said they have deployed enough personnel in the area to contain more attacks.

But the attackers have been targeting people in villages where there are no security agencies.

There has been an inter clan fighting between Degodia and Gareh over control of resources in the larger Mandera County in the past month along leaving at least ten people dead now.