11 killed in six-hour gun battle involving rival herders in Isiolo

Isiolo Administration Police County Commander Njoroge Mukiri (center) leads officers in an operation at Lowangila grazing area, where eleven people were reportedly killed in a dawn attack by cattle rustlers. [Photo: Bruno Mutunga/Standard]

Isiolo, Kenya: Eleven people have been killed in a gun battle involving two rival groups of herders in Isiolo County.

The gunfight between Turkana and Samburu herders broke out Saturday at around 6am at Attan, and went on for nearly six hours.

Despite heavy intervention from a contingent of police officers, reports from the ground indicated that the warriors from both sides took their battle to villages around Lewangila and Kipsing.

An injured herder was rushed to Isiolo Level Four Hospital but later transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital

By 2pm, police had recovered seven bodies and took them to Isiolo mortuary.

''We have just brought seven bodies to the mortuary and going back for four more,'' said an AP officer, who declined to be identified, as he is not authorized to speak to the media.

The officer added: “The bodies were strewn over a distance of more than 10km. Villagers helped us to trace the seven bodies and they told us there are four more bodies in the bush''.

Isiolo County Police Commander Nelson Okionga, who led the security team to the ground, said seven bodies had been recovered while villagers were assisting them to trace the remaining.

''The place has thick bushes and villagers have helped us a lot. We are still in the area to assess the security situation. The guns are now silent,'' said Mr Okionga on phone, from Leruko village.

He said the side that had many casualties had attacked Attan in a bid to steal livestock but were ambushed by villagers, who had prior information of an impending attack.

''The raiders had come to steal animals but they could not drive them away as the owners fought them back,'' he said.