Tension Still High in Nadome After Monday Massacre

Turkana raiders are said to have attacked the village inhabited by members of the Pokot community with reports indicating that both the residents and bandts were killed in the fighting.

Elsewhere, four people were reportedly killed at Solar village near Kasarani along Kapedo- Lomelo road on the same day after a fight broke out between members of the two warring communities.

According to residents, more than 400 heavily armed bandits formed a human ring around 12 villages at around 4am Monday, spraying homes with bullets indiscriminately killing women and children before escaping with thousands of livestock.

Naudo location Chief David Tarube said nine women and seven children were shot dead and several men injured while trying to repulse the heavily armed attackers suspected to come from the neighbouring Turkana East sub-county.

Residents say more than 3,000 cattle and about 1,000 goats and sheep were driven towards Turkana after the cattle rustlers managed to overpower their victims. Nine young men who took part in the fire exchange suffered heavy degree injuries.

A resident identified only as Narengei lost his wife and four children, while a neighbour had his two wives and two children shot dead as another lost a child in the unfortunate incident that has witnessed survivors moved kilometres away alongside their animals.

Exact number of those killed still unknown

Raided villages include Kalpat, Acham, Koghturo, Kangolio, Chepisia, Chongor, Lonangii, Loreng, Napuu, Sukut, Popon and Karuwon all in Silale ward, Tiaty sub-county.

The incident which took place at Nadome valley occured exactly five months after Kapedo attack in which 21 administration police officers lost their lives after they were ambushed at Kasarani by suspected Pokot raiders.

A survivor Chomoreng Mudiango, 36, suffered head injuries after the attackers bullet almost split his brain open as he battled with the attackers outside his compound amid desperate screams from children.

More than 700 residents have started fleeing their homes for fear of further attacks.

Silale ward member of County Assembly Lotela Nelson said those targeted at the valley were herders who had migrated to the area from Nginyang and Tangulbei divisions in search of pasture after experiencing prolonged droughts in the area.

A team from Kenya Red Cross Society and a County medical team led by Dr Atuko, the Baringo County chief executive in charge of health oversaw the treatment of those injured.

However, the exact number of those killed from the Turkana remained scanty.

Nadome is a remote village situated more than 100km from Chemolingot and 75km from Kapedo town without infrastructure thereby complicating rescuing missions whenever such attacks occur.

By Benjamin Wafula and Evans Kimaiyo