One Killed, four injured in fresh attacks in Tana River

Tana River, Kenya: One person was hacked to death and four others seriously injured in fresh attacks between two communities in Bora Moyo village of Kipini area in Tana River County.

Residents said that over 20 men from Garjel community, who were searching for their lost herds of goats, raided the village on Saturday evening after they smelt cooked meat, claiming it was of their lost animals.

"They raided the village and hacked anyone they could find saying that they smelt the meat which could be from their stolen animals”, said area Member of County Assembly Mennese Guyo.

Two of the four injured were part of the raiders while the rest and the deceased were from the Giriama community, according to Tana Delta Sub-County Commissioner Mike Kimoko.

Tension remained high Saturday and police from Witu and Garsen Police Station were deployed to pursue the attackers.

According to Kimoko, three suspects raiders were arrested yesterday but dispelled claims that the attack had connection to past tribal clashes mainly between the pastoralists, Orma and the Pokomo communities.

"The deceased died as he was being rushed to hospital. The other four are seriously injured and are receiving treatment at Mpeketoni District Hospital. They all sustained deep cuts given that the attackers used machetes," said Mr. Kimoko.

Tana Delta region has remained to be the epicentre of conflicts because it is essentially crucial to the survival of the fighting communities especially during the dry seasons.