TIT FOR TAT GUNFIGHT LEFT 14 DEAD IN MANDERA

BY ADOW JUBAT

                      NEP Regional Commissior with Mdr Governor Roba during a meeting with county officials


At least 14 people have been killed in renewed inter-ethnic clashes in the past two days in Mandera county, northeastern Kenya, officials said on Wednesday.

Deputy-County Commissioner Samuel said nine people were killed at around 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday in a remote village in Malka-Mari division, after heavily armed assailants raided the village.

"They were killed in Chiriko village in Banisa sub-county. We don't know the assailants, but it could be an act of retaliatory action," the government administrator said.

On Tuesday, five pastoralists from the same Gare family were killed in a border village by gunmen suspected to be from a rival Degodia clan.

The family, who left Elmole village in Banisa sub-county few days ago in pursuit of pasture and water for their animals, were killed at Wari Walo village some 10 kilometers from Kenya border.

"It is retrogressive for people to fight at this time when the country, and particularly Mandera County, is faced with the threats of common enemy (Al-Shabaab). We urge the rival communities to show a lot of restrain," Mwati said.

Mandera, a town riddled with past explosive attacks from Islamist terror group Al-Shabaab that is based in neighboring war- ravaged Somalia and incessant inter clan fighting between the minority Degodia and the majority Garre community, has been enjoying a relative calm in the past few months.

Both Garre and Degodia have communal presence and have sophisticated armed militia. The two warring clans have over the years been fighting for supremacy and control of the county, something that has degenerated into clashes.

The clashes led to the government deploying a contingent of security personnel to quell the clashes in July last year. The locals have also been asked to surrender the firearms they had in their possession through the disarmament program.

FIVE FAMILY MEMBER SLAIN IN ETHIOPIA

 

BY ADOW JUBAT

Five Kenyans were killed in Ethiopia border village by unknown militia on Tuesday morning.

The deceased who are all from the same family were killed by heavily armed unidentified gunmen who descended on their makeshift settlement and opened fire on the sleeping family indiscriminately.

Confirming the incident, Kiliwaheri ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Barre Mohamed Shabure said family who left Elmole village in Banisa sub-county few days ago in pursuit of pasture and water for their animals were killed at Wari walo village some 10 kilometers from Kenya border.

He said "Those killed were 3 children (2boys and a girl), their father and a close relative. The attackers targeted the family who just settled in the area for the purposes",

"The family as it is the common practice among the pastoralists' families left their village at the Kenya border in search of pasture for their livestock and they were expected to go back on the onset of the shorts rains which are two months away", He added.

Shabure said seven others including the mother of the slain children were also injured in the attack adding that 3 of those who sustained gun wounds were in critical condition and they were rushed to Mandera county referral hospital for specialised treatment.

He said, the slain people were the family of the son of Elmole assistance chief Adan Moulu. Elmole is small village less than 8 kilometers from Ethiopia border.

He said although the assailants and their motive of the attack couldn't be immediately established, their footprints, which was traced by the villagers has indicated that they come from the Kenya side of the border.

"It is suspected that criminals might have crossed the border from the Kenya side since their footprints has pointed toward villages in Kenya side of the border", Said the MCA.

Banisa ward MCA Yakub Hassan who condemned the incident urge the affected Garre clan to be calm as the government investigate and establish those behind the killing of the family.

Tension has soared up in Mandera, a county which is emerging from a recent bloody inter clan skirmishes pitting tow Somali communities- Garre and Degodia.

Meanwhile the Kenya government will deploy security officers on foot to track down Al-Shabaab militants allegedly marauding villages in North-eastern region bordering Somalia.

The North-Eastern regional commissioner Amb. Mohamud Saleh said that the government is aware of the changing tact by the militants who have invaded villages along the border where they are allegedly spreading their doctrine.

He said that his security team will stop at nothing to ensure that Al-Shabaab is kicked out of Northern Kenya and peace restored in the troubled region.

"We are fully aware of the changing tact by the Al Shabaab. We are upping our game and shall deploy security officers on foot to track them in remote villages especially along the border where they are preaching their evil doctrine," he said.

Speaking in Mandera, the regional commissioner said that having working in the region as a PC and being a local, he understands the people, language and the terrain of the vast Northern Kenya.

Amb. Saleh who later in day met county officials led by area governor Ali Roba said the war on terror could only be won if both the county and national governments work closely.

He urged area residents to volunteer information that would assist in eradicating al-Shabaab.

"I am here with my Security team to encourage our county counterparts as there must be synergy in confronting the al-Shabaab menace," he added.
Saleh also met the clergy, youth, women, chiefs and their assistants from the county as he seeks to win the confidence of area residents in the war against terror.