A police car at a crime scene./FILE
Gunmen struck and killed four fishermen at the shores of Lake Turkana, Turkana County.
The incident happened at Ekoriangamuk on the shore of the lake within the Todonyang area on May 15 in the morning.
The motive of the attack was not immediately known. Police said they responded to the scene and found four bodies riddled with bullets.
The victims were shot at close range. One of the victims was aged 25, another 32, the third one 22, and a woman aged 25. Police said the bodies were moved to the mortuary pending postmortem.
This is the latest such incident to happen in the area amid claims of attacks from outsiders. Police said they are investigating the incident.
In February this year, more than 20 fishermen were shot and killed in the same area. The incident happened on February 22 evening in Lopeimukay and Lotiira area, police said. Most of the bodies were not recovered.
An unknown number of villagers were injured in the attack, believed to be out of retaliation by Dassanech gang, police said. The area is poor in terms of infrastructure.
The river where the incident happened extends from Ethiopia where the fishermen had ventured.
The tension had been growing in the area in the past weeks following the sighting of gunmen from Ethiopia.
They were seeking revenge, officials said. As part of efforts to tame the practice, the government launched an operation covering other counties, including Turkana.
This has seen some of the raiders escape to Ethiopia. They usually stage attacks in Kenya and escape. Launched in February 2023, Operation Maliza Uhalifu North Rift is a government security initiative that targets escalating banditry, cattle rustling, and violence in nine counties, including Baringo, Turkana, Samburu, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Marsabit, Laikipia, Isiolo, and Meru.
To strengthen local security, the government has restructured the management and command of the National Police Reservists.
In 2023, a total of 1,702 reservists were recruited and trained in Baringo, Samburu, Laikipia, Meru, Turkana, and West Pokot. At least 400 reservists in Elgeyo Marakwet and Isiolo were re-armed to supplement the ongoing security operations in the area.
