NAIROBI, Kenya June 13 – Security has been beefed up in Isiolo County after 6 people were killed in a confrontation between Turkana and Samburu herdsmen.
Isiolo County Commissioner Herman Shambi told Capital FM News that the attack that occurred on Saturday left 5 Samburu herdsmen and one Turkana herdsman dead.
This triggered a shootout.
“It is the Samburu people who provoked the Turkana herdsmen who were watering their animals. The Samburu herders had to react and thwarted the theft attempt,” he said.
While the situation had normalized and calm restored Sunday, Shambi noted that the police in the region were on high alert to avert any retaliatory attacks.
“We have GSU and regular police on the ground. We anticipate some revenge attacks but we are very much on the ground and we will do our best to ensure that normalcy prevails,” he said.
He appealed to the leadership of the region to take a leading role in promoting peace and co-existence.
“We already have protocols and engagements on how resources in the region should be shared. The leaders must talk to their people even as we try to provide security to the warring communities,” he said.
The region has over the years remained a hotbed of insecurity mostly blamed on cattle rustling with the government forced to deploy a heavy contingent of security personnel in the troubled region to maintain peace.
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