By: Abdikadir Okash (@abdikadirokash)
MANDERA—Mandera County government confirmed at least eleven people have been killed on Wednesday and Thursday this week, raising concern over the increasing insecurity in the area. The confirmation comes after Marehan clansmen ambushed Murulle herders at a waterpoint near Sariiro, Somalia Kenya border as they tracked their camels.
“Yesterday evening, 9 members of Murulle clan members in Mandera were reported killed along Fino -Arabia belt in East of Mandera County,” a statement by the county government headed by Governor Cpt. Ali Roba, said.
The statement continued to condemn the senselessness killing and called on the perpetrators to repent to Allah (God) in this holy month of Ramdhan.
“All these deaths like all the others before, were senseless and should never have happened in the first place,” the statement continued.
At the same time, a Degodia man and a Garre woman were Thursday morning killed in two separate attacks in Rhamu subcounty. Eleven AP officers were reportedly injured in an accident as they drove to quell the renewed clashes between Garre and Degodia.
“We condemn senseless killings in Mandera! Once again the ugly hand of insecurity has robbed this county of innocent lives,” the statement added.
The County government called on all effected clans to restrain themselves from escalating the clan fighting that could lead to full blown inter-communal animosity.
Said the statement: “We condemn this madness in the strongest terms possible and ask for maximum restraint on all sides.
However, it was not immediately clear the reason of the renewed clan hostilities in Mandera as earlier clan fighting between Degodia and Garre was communicated solved. Garre, Degodia and Murulle, are the three main clans in Mandera County.
