At least six people were killed and eight others seriously injured in a banditry attack in Illeret, Marsabit County, near the Kenya–Ethiopia border, police have confirmed.
The attack occurred on Tuesday when armed assailants, believed to have crossed into Kenya from Hamar villages in Ethiopia, targeted residents of El-Anybura village, home to members of the Dasnach community.
According to security officials, the attackers made away with about 500 cattle and more than 200 goats. Several other animals were shot dead during the raid.
Police said four of the attackers were also killed in a fierce exchange as residents resisted the incursion. The surviving assailants later fled back into Ethiopia with the stolen livestock.
Security teams were deployed to the area to prevent retaliatory attacks and restore calm. A delegation from Ethiopia later crossed into Kenya for joint talks with Kenyan authorities, easing tensions along the border.
The injured were taken to Bubua Health Centre in Ethiopia for treatment. Authorities have launched efforts to recover the stolen livestock as burial preparations for the victims continue.
Illeret lies in a volatile border region that has experienced repeated cross-border banditry attacks despite ongoing security operations under Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
