Nine killed in Mandera attack by clan militia from Somalia

Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh. Nine people were killed and six others injured in Arabia, Mandera County, in an attack by a clan militia from Somalia. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Confirming the Wednesday evening incident, Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh said the Marhani militia crossed into Kenya and attacked herdsmen from the Murule clan.
• He said security had already been beefed up along the border by both Kenya Defence Force (KDF) soldiers and patrol police officers.
• The Mandera County security team was in a meeting Thursday morning led by the County Commissioner Alex ole Nkoyo.

By MANASE OTSIALO
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Nine people were killed and six others injured in Arabia, Mandera County, in an attack by a clan militia from Somalia.

Confirming the Wednesday evening incident, Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh said the Marhani militia crossed into Kenya and attacked herdsmen from the Murule clan.

"The clan militia crossed into Kenya from Somalia and killed nine herdsmen and injuring six others but the motive not known," said Mr Saleh on phone.

He said security had already been beefed up along the border by both Kenya Defence Force (KDF) soldiers and patrol police officers.

"We are hoping there will be no more attacks in the area but the attackers are not Al-Shabaab," said Mr Saleh.

ORGANISED MILITIA
He said the Marhan, largely found in Somalia, have an organised clan militia that is used to create havoc at the border.

The two communities have engaged one another in the past few weeks. The Kenyans blame the Marhani of sponsoring Al-Shabaab militants, which has led to the underdevelopment of Lafey Sub-County and the closure of roads in the area.

Only one of the injured persons had been admitted to Mandera County Hospital on Thursday morning and was in the hospital’s surgical theatre.

The Mandera County security team was in a meeting Thursday morning led by the County Commissioner Alex ole Nkoyo.

A source said the recent clan clashes — the Degodia-Garre clan fighting that left two dead on Thursday, and the Murule-Marhani clashes that claimed nine on Wednesday evening — were to be discussed in depth.