MARSABIT,Kenya, Nov, 4 – Police in Marsabit County have launched a manhunt for several unknown assailants after they ambushed a lorry ferrying goods and passengers from Marsabit town heading towards Badassa area.
According to preliminary reports, the gunmen ambushed the vehicle a few kilometres from Marsabit town near the Marsabit National Park, firing indiscriminately.
Six people were confirmed dead while 11 were left nursing gunshot wounds before being rushed to the Marsabit Referral Hospital for specialised treatment.
The deceased included three men and three women.
According to area sub county police commander Robinson Mboloi,the gunmen shortly after fled the scene amidst a manhunt to apprehend them.
“The lorry was heading to Badassa when the incident occurred, we have however launched a manhunt for the gunmen. The injured Police are trying really hard to apprehend them amidst a security operation in the area to restore normalcy,” he said.
The incident is said to have occurred at around 5.30pm on Thursday.
Area governor Mohamud Ali condemned the incident calling on the national government to enhance security amidst recent flareups of violence that has plagued the area.
“At around 5.30 pm some unprecedented incident took place where organised criminals targeted a Canter (Lorry) which residents use to ferry foodstuff and even used as a passenger mode of transport …We have appealed time and again with the security agencies in this county,whenever there are activities that we plan, the planners of these terrible acts normally move into action,” said Ali.
According to the governor during his tour of Moyale constituency last month, a known community elder was killed by unknown assailants.
Halakhe Wako, a former Councillor in Sagante ward, chaired the Peace Committee in Marsabit county, aimed at addressing the perennial cases of violence that have been reported across the county.
“While we don’t expect security agencies to be everywhere, the planners of these attacks ought to have been arrested by now….for three years we have not seen peace, it is incident after incident,” said the governor.
Police say the gunmen might be hiding inside the vast Marsabit forest amidst a security operation in the area.
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