Marsabit killings death toll rises to 10

The death toll in the gun battle between two rival communities in Marsabit County has risen to ten, it has been established.

Marsabit County Commissioner Peter Thuku yesterday afternoon said police who had been dispatched to the area had found two bodies of four people who had been reported as missing in a deadly gun battle at Dukana. He said the bodies had been ferried to a mortuary at Dukana trading centre.

With that new development, the death toll now stands at ten including the two Kenya Police reservists who had also been killed. But local sources indicated those killed were 13.

According to them, the other two missing persons must have been killed though police insist they are still listed as missing persons.
It has also been reported that an Administration Police constable from Saku was killed in the Tuesday evening attack and his body brought to Marsabit town on Thursday evening.
However, Mr Thuku said he was not aware of the incident.

Five people were confirmed dead, four missing and 12 others wounded following a gun battle between the rival Gabra and Dasanatch at Buluk, near the Kenya-Ethiopia border on Tuesday evening.

The incident took place at the remote area, a few kilometers from the Ethiopian border on Tuesday and news of the battle reached Marsabit headquarters late Wednesday.

Thuku and his police counterpart Bernard Kogo said security had been beefed up in the area following the killings.
Speaking to The Standard on Saturday on phone Mr Thuku, said 12 other people who sustained gunshot wounds are still at various health facilities in Marsabit County.
"The death toll has risen to 10 and it includes two home guards. We are still searching for two missing persons. Some of the injured are at Marsabit District Hospital,’’ he said.
Also speaking on phone, Mr Kogo said security personnel led by North Horr Officer Commanding Police Division had placed a buffer zone between the two sides to contain the situation.
The two rival sides - one from Illeret and the other Dukana - met at Buluk, an area rich in both pasture and water and engaged in a gun battle.

In the past, the two communities have engaged in deadly battles with the deadliest being the Kokai massacre that took place within the Sibiloi National Park in 1997 where more than 60 people including 17 police officers were killed.
Yesterday, Thuku ruled out competition for resources due to drought as a factor fueling the conflict saying both Illeret and Dukana had received enough rainfall this year.
‘’At this time, we expect all herders to be in their traditional grazing zones. This incident could be as a result of people who lost animals to drought trying to restock through rustling,’’ he claimed.

The officer said no animals were stolen.

He also promised that security personnel deployed to Buluk will do their best to establish the source of the weapons used during the battle. In the recent past, Marsabit County has been in the news because of the spate of violent killings in the region. Some leaders have attributed the conflict to the scarce natural resources while others see a hand in politics.