Thursday, May 05, 2011

Kenya protests to Ethiopia over border raid

KBC News, May 05, 2011
Government says it has written a protest letter to Ethiopian authorities following the killing of over 20 people during heavy fighting on Monday between the Turkana community and Ethiopian militias.

Internal security assistant Minister Orwa Ojode says during the banditry attack at Todonyang area in Turkana North District, 20 locals and four militias were killed.

Addressing journalists in his office Thursday , Ojode said that security in the area has been beefed up and that a peace meeting has been scheduled for next week in a bid to foster peaceful coexistence between the Turkanas and their Ethiopian counterparts.

The assistant minister further said that a vetting exercise is ongoing in the area to ensure that only licensed police reservists are armed.

Over 50 Turkana families are reportedly evacuated from the area in fear of retaliatory attacks following the Monday raid.

The Merille militia entered into Kenya through Lake Turkana and killed a Turkana herdsman.

In retaliation, Turkana tribesmen pursued the raiders and killed four of them. But the militias came out in force, killing 19 more Kenyans.

A mass burial for the victims is being planned and will be conducted once relatives of all victims have been identified.
Source: KBC News

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