Suspected Ethiopian raiders shoot dead elderly woman in Turkana

TURKANA, KENYA: Tension is high in Kokuro village along the Kenya –Ethiopia border following the killing of a 55-year old woman by suspected Ethiopian Merille raiders on Sunday night.

The raiders believed to be from the neighboring Ethiopia attacked an isolated home at Nalemsekon area in Turkana North Sub-County and shot dead the elderly woman.

Turkana North Officer Commanding Police Division(OCPD) Francis Siror confirmed the Incident.

Siror said the woman was shot dead in her house after heavily armed  raiders invaded a manyatta and killed her on the spot while asleep.

"We were informed of the attack by the area local administrator that the woman was killed in an isolated village. We have deployed security officers to track down the attackers," Mr Siror said.

The OCPD said the raiders seemed to be on a revenge mission since they did not steal anything from the homestead. He said they executed their mission and fled towards the border.

The incident comes in the wake of a conflict between the Turkana clan and their neighbouring Merille community after an elder from Ethiopia was shot dead at a church service last month in Todonyang .

A resident Akitela Lobur said there has been several ambushes by suspected raiders from the neighbouring Ethiopian community.  Ms Lobur said several people have been killed along the border following retaliations by the communities.

"We appeal to the government to beef up security along the borders. We have lost several people to raiders and we need peace to prevail in the area," Ms Lobur said.