Nairobi, Feb 23 (IANS) At least 20 Kenyan fishermen were killed on Saturday night by suspected Ethiopian militiamen in the Todonyang border area along Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya, government officials and witnesses confirmed on Sunday.
The heavily armed militia from the Dassanech tribe in Ethiopia raided areas along the Kenya-Ethiopia border near the Omo River, spraying bullets indiscriminately at victims fishing during the attack that has since heightened tensions along the border between the two countries.
Turkana County Commissioner Julius Kavita confirmed the attack but could not establish the number of deaths, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Yes, there was an attack. We have been told some people have lost lives, and we are rushing to ascertain facts from the ground before we make it public,” Kavita told Xinhua by telephone.
A local police reservist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he counted 20 bodies at the scene after responding to the attack.
“The bodies are littered along the Lake. Some other fishermen are also missing,” the reservist told Xinhua.
He said the incident is linked to a retaliatory attack after suspected Turkana bandits from Kenya shot dead three Dassanech fishermen from Ethiopia near the Omo River on Saturday morning.
Survivors said five boats used by Kenyan fishermen on a fishing expedition were attacked when the Dassanech tribesmen ambushed the Turkana fishermen.
“After the attack, the militia seized the boats and fishing gear and escaped to the Ethiopian side,” said Eric Ekal, a fisherman who survived the attack.
Kenyan marine security officers deployed to patrol Lake Turkana said darkness hampered the operation to pursue the attackers and recover the stolen boats and fishing gear.
Todonyang is one of the fertile fishing grounds along the border between the two countries but remains a battleground for Kenyan and Ethiopian fishermen.
Launched in February 2023, Operation Maliza Uhalifu North Rift is a government security initiative that targeted escalating banditry, cattle rustling, and violence in nine counties including Baringo, Turkana, Samburu, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Marsabit, Laikipia, Isiolo, and Meru.
To enhance governance and improve service delivery, the government gazetted 126 new administrative units across Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Turkana, Samburu, Meru, and Laikipia Counties.
–IANS
int/khz