At least seven people were on Monday night killed in a banditry attack in Moyale at the Kenya-Ethiopia border.
Eastern regional police commander Charles Naibei yesterday said two other people were injured in the 9pm attack that took place at Forole area, adding that the motive of the attack is yet to be established.
“The attack took place along the Eledimtu-Forole Road, just a few kilometres from the Ethiopian border. Seven people including two minors from a local secondary school died in the attack,” he said.
A report filed at Forolle Police station indicated that the lorry carrying nine passengers was ambushed by an armed group, who shot at the vehicle indiscriminately before setting it ablaze. Most of the victims were burnt beyond recognition.
Transporting goods
The victims were transporting food from the border town to other parts of the country. The lorry, a Mitsubishi with registration number KBV 474Y was driven by Ibrahim Jalla who, like six other passengers, according to the authorities.
Former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatanni blamed a militia from neighbouring Ethiopia for the attack.
“The sad incident where suspected militia from a neighboring country ambushed a truck near Forole of Marsabit County, killing 7 persons and burning the truck needs urgent response. We appeal to CS Interior to deploy more security personnel to protect these border communities,” he said.
The bodies of the deceased were transported to Marsabit Mortuary while efforts to pursue the attackers are underway.
The deceased persons have been identified as Ibrakhim Jalla, Wato Ndege, Kiya Diba, Adan Jarso, Tula Gobu and Galgallo Gilla who were all burnt beyond recognition. The other deceased person was identified as Golo Kula.
According to locals, the suspects behind the attack could be remnants of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), hostile Borana neighbours or even Ethiopian police officers.
Additional officers sent
Tension rose in the area amid calls on the locals on the Interior Cabinet Secretary to address the menace. Additional officers were yesterday sent to the area as joint operations began.
This is the second such attack in two weeks that have so far claimed six lives including that of a policeman.
On August 1, a police officer was killed and three others including a civilian sustained serious injuries when an unknown number of gunmen launched an attack at a checkpoint in the Sessi area of Moyale town, Marsabit County.
Constable Collins Mutai succumbed to the injuries while receiving treatment at Moyale Sub county hospital following the attack.
Officials said the incident happened at the roadblock leading to the main Kenya-Ethiopia border.
A civilian woman believed to be a Revenue Clerk with the county government, was also critically wounded in the attack, which was carried out by suspects armed with grenades and assault rifles.
The attackers arrived on board a motorcycle and opened fire at the multi-agency team that was manning the roadblock leading to the Ethiopian border.
Police and witnesses said the attackers also lobbed two grenades at the team but they did not explode.
Police suspect the attackers could be smugglers or terrorists who are trying to find a footing in the area.
According to the police, the Moyale-Marsabit highway is one of the main routes used by human and drug smugglers, and is also a haven for terrorists trying to reach Isiolo and Nairobi.
Police said two undetonated grenades were recovered at the scene and later detonated by officials from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) who also responded to the incident.
The attackers, who fired indiscriminately at the multi-agency team manning the border point, left the victims with critical wounds.
