At least seven more people have been killed and nine others wounded in raging gun battle between host Borana and migrant Somali herders at Duse in Garba-Tula.
Authorities said armed men attacked Duse, a flourishing gemstone mining centre between 3 am and 7 am today that left at least seven dead.
The injured included three school children and two women who were escorting them to the local school at around 7 am. Four Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) also sustained gunshot wounds.
Locals said the attackers suspected to be from Banane, Lagdera Constituency in Garissa attacked the centre at around 3 am but were overwhelmed by KPR officers deployed by the State to protect the centre.
‘‘We have 11 KPR and the raiders were more than 30 but we managed to repulse them,’’ said a KPR officer who was among those injured.
The attackers later regrouped and attacked the village at around 6 am where they shot dead a middle aged woman identified as Gordo Salesa Dida.
They also ambushed children being taken to school at around 7 am that left three of them injured and two of the accompanying mothers also wounded.
Garba-Tula Deputy County Commissioner Kipchumba Rutto said four bodies had so far been recovered-that of the woman and three of the attackers.
The injured were taken to Maua Mission Hospital in Meru County.
Mr Rutto said he was on his way to the centre adding security personnel are combing the area to recover more bodies and pursue the attackers.
‘‘The injured include four KPR officers and three school children,’’ said the administrator.
An old man working as a watchman at a borehole outside Garba-Tula identified as Galgalo Hantati was shot dead on Thursday.
At least 15 people have been killed in Garba-Tula over the last three weeks in clashes between Borana and Auliyan clan that is related to competition over scarce resources.
