Four more shot dead as hundreds flee Garba-Tula

Top Isiolo leaders led by Governor Godana Doyo pray for the granny and two children killed by suspects fron Garissa at Gafarsa trading centre in Garba Tula District ob Friday. Tension is high in the area as hundreds of villagers fled their homes for fear of more attacks. Photos By ALI ABDI/STANDARD

At least four more people have been killed in raging armed conflict between Borana and Somali herders along the Isiolo-Garissa border. The fighting took place in Tana village about 11km north of Garba-Tula town on Saturday.

Hundreds of villagers have fled as tension rose between rival herders from the two counties. The gun fight involved Borana herders on the Isiolo side and Auliyan from Lagdera in Garissa.

Yesterday, it emerged that the Isiolo side attacked Tana village and killed three people, and injured two others in what authorities said was a retaliatory attack. The attackers also lost a fighter in the gun battle.

Garba-Tula Deputy County Commissioner Kipchumba Rutto confirmed the deaths and injury, while his boss, County Commissioner George Natembeya, said only two were killed and another two injured. Mr Natembeya added that they could not confirm the death of one of the attackers as his body was not recovered.

The herders from Lagdera said a herdsman identified as Mukhtar Dubow was shot dead while his two children, Mahat (17) and Fatuma (six), also died in the attack. They said two other people were also injured.

Mr Rutto said one of the attackers identified only as Kubu from Biliko in Merti district also died.

LONG HISTORY

Both administrators said the bodies were ferried by police to Banane in Lagdera for burial, which took place yesterday.

The two sides have had a long history of bloody clashes since the 1980s and fresh animosity arises whenever the Garissa side come to Isiolo in search of pasture and water during drought.

This time, relationships between the two sides collapsed following incidents of cattle rustlings and crime around water points and grazing fields that started last May. The lowest moment came last Thursday following the killing of an elderly woman and her two grandchildren, which sparked a major protest from top Isiolo leaders.

The trio were executed in gangland style - they were tied to a tree before being shot at point-blank range and their throats slit.

Garba-Tula MCA Abdi Sora identified the deceased as Kuyu Kanu,75, and her grandchildren Abdi Rashid aged eight years, and 11-year-old Ali Diba.

CLOSE RANGE

‘‘The killers tied them to a tree and shot them in the head from close range. Diba was shot twice and they were left tied to the tree,’’ the MCA told mourners at Gafarsa where top county leaders joined hundreds of locals for the burial ceremony.

The leaders included Governor Godana Doyo, nominated Senator Fatuma Dhullo, Woman Representative Tiyah Galgalo and Isiolo South MP Abdullahi Banticha.

Others were County Assembly Speaker Mohammed Tubi and a host of MCAs led by Mr Sora and Leader of Majority Adan Ali.

Belgish, the most affected trading centre, with a population of about 1,000, remained deserted for the last three days. It hosts a livestock market built at a cost of Sh200 million, two schools and water points. Traders usually visit the centre twice a week.

‘‘There is nobody in Belgish, a flourishing livestock market that attracts traders from Meru. The bandits have taken over the entire area,’’ said Sora.

The MCA said the victims were targeted for being vocal members of the Garba Tula elders’ peace committee. They had called on the authorities to evict herders from Lagdera who had crossed into Isiolo County last May.

Following the recent fighting, there was an exodus of hundreds of families from Malkadaka, Kulamawe, Iresaboru, Sericho and Baranbate.

Other affected centres are Eldera, Skot, Modogashe and Sericho.