Kasarani: 7 police shot officers dead, 22 others missing
7 police officers are feared dead and 22 others missing after bandits attacked a contingent of security officers headed for Kapedo in Turkana County on Friday.
A survivor of the massacre said that attack happened at Kasarani area along Kepedo Lokori road in Turkana East constituency. The victims were ambushed as they tried to tow away a vehicle that had been burned in last weekend’s attack
The bandits surrounded the 23 AP officers and three civilians spraying them with bullets until no one was left standing. When it appeared like they were all dead, the attackers then burned down the lorry the victims had traveled in. The 2 pm Friday attack left everyone in the neighborhood so scared that no one ventured in to the area till about 4 pm Saturday evening when the two survivors were pulled out.
The survivors said that bodies of the 24 people killed in the attack were still lying the scene of the massacre on Saturday evening. In the nearby Kapedo area, track loads of security officers could be seen on Saturday evening awaiting orders on how to proceed.
The raid coincidentally happened as Pokot leaders lead by Wesk Pokot senator, Prof. John Lonyangapuo and Tiati MP Asman Kamama toured deserted Chesitet shopping center situated along Chemolingot- Kapedo road. The shopping center was allegedly set on fire on Tuesday after three GSU officers and two civilians were killed last weekend
The leaders claim Turkana police reservists were used by government security forces to torch the center and have demanded for investigations.
As at Saturday evening, word on the ground was that high ranking security officers and some area leaders were expected to go to the region to try and mitigate the conflict. President Uhuru Kenyatta is also expected to tour the area.
HE will shortly depart for Kapedo following the ambush where 20 p/officers & 2 reservits were killed. pic.twitter.com/CLBopKm3Nr
— InteriorCNG Ministry (@InteriorKE)
Genesis of the Baringo attacks
The conflict started on the 20th of October right before the start of 2014 KCSE examinations. A vehicle that was carrying KCSE papers headed for Kapedo mixed Secondary School was attacked and burned forcing the Kenya National Examination Council to find an alternative route of delivering the examination papers
Five days after that attack, raiders overpowered police and Serata area of Baringo county and drove away 30 heads of cattle. In that single attack, three people were shot and are still nursing their injuries.
A day later, on 26th October, a GSU officer was killed in an ambush by cattle rustlers in Kiserian, Bariongo county. On 27th of October, President Uhuru Kenyatta condemned the attacks that seemed to be targeting police officers. The president said that his government would stop at nothing “until the barbaric, primitive criminals are brought to book”.
Two days after the president condemned those attacks (29th October), there was yet another attack in Bukoi, Samburu county. 4 people were killed and one other person was seriously injured.
All this reached a climax on Saturday, when the 23 police officers were ambushed and shot dead by the bandits.
