Communities along Kenya-Ethiopia border on edge following attacks
The incidents, confirmed by security agencies, are suspected to have been carried out by suspected Dassanech militia from Ethiopia.
Two separate attacks on Kenyan fishermen on Thursday night and another on two herders on Friday morning in Todonyanga and Kokuro areas have ignited tensions along the Kenya-Ethiopian border.
The incidents, confirmed by security agencies, are alleged to have been carried out by suspected Dassanech militia from Ethiopia.
Speaking to The Standard, Turkana County Police Commander John Tarus on Friday said the first attack on two siblings occurred Thursday morning, killing one of the herdsmen and leaving others injured.
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"The herdsman, (26-year-old Epur Ekamis) was fatally shot during a confrontation between the suspected Dassanech militia and local herders. His brother was injured but has since been treated and discharged from Labour Mission Hospital," the county commander told The Standard.
On his part, Turkana North Deputy Police Commander Jacob Kinyanjui told The Standard that the second attack targeting fishermen occurred around 10 pm while they were busy at work.
"Our National Police Reservists (NPS) responded promptly and engaged the attackers gunfight. Fortunately, no casualties were reported on the Kenyan side," he said.
Investigations into both attacks are ongoing.
The renewed clashes have heightened ethnic tensions between the Turkana and Dassanech communities, especially following a recent incident on October 4, when suspected Dassanech raiders allegedly stole 75 donkeys from Turkana herders at Merukuka in Lapur Ward," the paper reported.
On September 16, Ethiopian media reported that one person was killed and more than 2,000 cattle were looted following an attack allegedly carried out by "attackers from Kenya's Turkana".
In February this year, heavily armed Dassanech militia ambushed and indiscriminately sprayed bullets at Turkana fishermen fishing in Lake Turkana near River Omo in what police later referred to as an alleged clash between Turkana and Dassanech fishermen at "Lopemukat Common Waters" along the border.
The incident, according to Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, happened when an individual crossed over the Kenyan border to Ethiopia on Saturday and killed three locals, triggering a retaliatory attack that happened on the Ethiopian side of the border, leaving over 20 fishermen missing.
Following several such incidents, a consultative forum that brought together officials from the Government of Southern Ethiopia Regional State on the Ethiopian side, and from Turkana County at the county, zonal, and district levels was held in Kakuma town to sustainably resolve the recurring security challenges along the border.
Security agencies remain on high alert as local leaders call for calm.
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