At least 30 people killed in fresh clan fight in Wajir

Despite increased vigilance and talks among leaders, sporadic clan fights have continued in Wajir. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

WAJIR COUNTY: At least thirty people were killed and 13 other seriously wounded, after two clan militia confronted at a village in Tarbaj, Wajir County.

The deadly clash was pitting heavily armed Degodia and Garre militia according to a senior government official.

The incidents renewed hostilities between the two rival Somali clans, whose latest disagreement, was sparked off a month ago, following a dispute over 3 kilometres border stretch.

The epicentre of the fierce fight between two militia groups is a place called Kulani by the Garre and Gunani by the Degodia.

Confirming the incident, Tarbaj deputy county commissioner David Rotich said twenty of those who were killed were combatants comprising of both sides in the conflict.

Rotich who said the fighting started at around 6.30 am on Sunday said so far this was the deadliest confrontation since the conflict broke out in Wajir between the two clans in April 15.

“We are lucky that we had no civilians in Gunani, where the two armed people clashed this morning leading to the death of 20 people and injuries of about 13 others. People have fled from the area three weeks ago; after the village was raid and 12 villagers killed” he told The Standard on phone from Tarbaj.

The sub-county commissioner said over 35 grass thatched Somali traditional Herio hut, which was abandoned by their owners in the first attack was touched by the assailants during the confrontation.

He said 8 of those injured in the conflict, in which sophisticated weapons were used, were rushed to Takaba district hospital, while five others were taken to Tarbaj district hospital for treatment.

Rotich said those admitted at the hospital with injury were possibly members of the fighters since civilians were not expected to be in the deserted village any time soon.

The latest death pushes the number of those killed in the inter-clan feuds between Degodia and Garre, both a sub-clan of Haweye Somali clan into 70 according to a Kenya Red Cross official in Wajir County.

Currently, over 12,000 families who are internally displaced in the ongoing conflict re living in IDP camps in Tarbaj and Bulla Hodthan in squalid as more several both primary and secondary are closed.

“We highly suspect the injuries who were admitted at both Takaba and Tarbaj hospitals were among the clan fighters. We had no a single civilians in Gunana since the villagers fled the area three weeks ago” he added.

Rotich said some of the combatants were gunned down by a combined General Service Unit (GSU) and police officers, who responding to the incident adding that the militias were pushed back by the security personnel.

“The GSU and police officers based in Burmayo location 20 kilometres from Gunani responded to the sounds of the fierce gun fight and managed to kill some of them before they escaped in different directions.” He said.

He added that security reinforcement had been dispatched from Tarbaj, 198 kilometres from the incident location as another team of top security officials and extra soldiers were preparing to go to the area shortly to assess the situation and fact finding mission.

National Assembly Leader of Majority Aden Duale sent a condolence message to the bereaved and urged leaders to seek long lasting peace.

“We must not shed blood of our people. The political and religious leadership from North Eastern must come together and preach peace among the warring clans. The Government security agencies must move with speed to provide security to the affected areas,” Duale said in a statement.