BARINGO, Kenya, Jan, 21 – Two police officers were Thursday night killed in an ambush attack in Kapedo by suspected bandits, even as a security operation in the area continued to be intensified.
The officers belonging to the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) were killed along the Kapedo bridge at around 7:30pm, Shahidi News established.
Senior police leading the operation told Shahidi News that the two officers had travelled to Marigat town on a police land cruiser and had been accompanied by an Armoured personnel Carrier vehicle (APC) as part of the security protocol.
But while on their way back to the camp, their vehicle was sprayed with bullets by suspected bandits.
The officers had traveled to buy supplies including foodstuff destined for their camp before the unfortunate incident occurred.
Police further revealed that during the ambush, the bandits shot at the APC and after failing to penetrate its surface, opted for the ‘soft target’ which was the land cruiser, despite efforts by the officers to protect themselves.
Shortly after the incident, the bandits fled into the darkness.
A special security unit has since been deployed to hunt down the suspected bandits.
For close to one week a security operation has been ongoing in the area following the brutal murder of General Service Unit Deputy Director of Operations Emadau Temako on Sunday in the area between Kapedo and Chemolingot.
On Tuesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i said,“the retrogressive culture in the area is protecting negative and criminal armament that disguises itself as cattle rustling.” Further accusing leaders of funding chaos in the guise of banditry attacks.
An additional contingent of GSU and border patrol officers have been deployed along the common border of Baringo and Turkana.
On Wednesday, police retrieved six unidentified bodies, all with gunshot wounds.
It’s not yet clear how the six died.
Meanwhile, Tiaty Member of Parliament William Kamket was arrested on Thursday for allegedly inciting violence in the area.
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