8 People Among Them Children Killed in Marsabit Banditry Attack

A banditry attack in Yell Kurkum Village in Laisamis Marsabit county left 8 people dead and three injured.

Police said the bandits opened fire and killed eight people on the spot including Children.

According to Eastern police commander Rono Bunei, about 15 bandits who were armed with firearms raided the village around 6am Thursday.

They staged the attack and left with an unknown number of cattle.

“The bodies were discovered later on Thursday after an attack. They drove away with dozens of livestock and efforts are ongoing to trace them,” Bunei said.

Two of those injured are being treated at a local hospital while the third was badly injured and is to be airlifted for specialized treatment in Nairobi.

Bunei said a multi-agency security team has been deployed in the area to track the bandits.

The attack comes even after Interior CS Kithure Kindiki toured the area and pledged to ensure banditry ends.

Marsabit is one of the counties that has borne the brunt of the banditry attack in the country.

The attack has left tension in the area with the fear mounting of possible retaliation.

In his last tour of Marsabit county, Kindiki said he will arm chiefs and assistant chiefs to ensure they protect citizens.

“You cannot expect an officer to pursue criminals and recover stolen livestock using a baton," Kindiki said.

"I have directed the security teams in the counties affected by cattle rustling to vet our chiefs and assistant chiefs so that we can arm them to protect the lives and property of wananchi."