Increased security on border with Ethiopia

The Kenyan government has stepped up security along the country's common border with Ethiopia, following recent raids in the northwestern district of Turkana by suspected Ethiopian bandits.

The 'Daily Nation" newspaper reported at the weekend that five people were killed in Turkana on Friday by bandits from Ethiopia. This brought the number of people killed in recent similar attacks to 22, it said.

Peter Kimanthi, Kenya's police spokesman, told IRIN on Monday there had been a number of attacks on Turkana associated with cattle rustling by raiders from the Merile pastoralist community in Ethiopia. He said the raids were common among both the Turkana on the Kenyan side and the Merile community across the border.

"We have had about three or four raids from the Ethiopian side on Turkana," Kimanthi said. "These are sporadic raids. They have been there for many years. The Turkana sometimes carry out cattle raids on communities across the border. The only difference this time is that they have been very close together."

Kimanthi, however pointed out that the security personnel deployed in the area would prevent further bandit attacks from taking place. He urged travellers to that part of the country to liase with the police before doing so, as a safety measure.

"This is something that should not worry too many people. I think everything is under control," Kimanthi added.