1. Home
  2. East Africa
  3. Kenya

Hundreds flee attack in east Kenyan town

Mohammed Barre recovers at Isiolo district hospital after being injured during a raid at Gambella area, Isiolo Noor Ali/IRIN
Poor healthcare means preventable and curable diseases are more deadly in Northern Kenya than elsewhere in the country
Hundreds of people have fled their homes in Isiolo, eastern Kenya, following an attack by armed men that left 11 people dead in Kisima locality, the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) said.

"More than 100 Turkana [families] have left their homes since [15 November]," Gitonga Mugambi, the KRCS coordinator in Isiolo, said. "They are moving to the Ngaremara area [about 30km from Isiolo town], which they believe is safe."

Affected communities include the Turkana, who are said to have been behind the attack, the Somali, Borana and Samburu communities. One of those affected, Peter Kalapata, said: "Our women are unable to go to Isiolo town to sell charcoal or buy food; the sick cannot go to the hospital. Things are bad; we need security for all the communities."

The Kisima attack, which occurred about 5km from Isiolo town, also left six people injured, with hundreds of heads of livestock, which were later recovered, stolen, according to the Isiolo divisional police commander, Sammy Kosgey. Tension in Isiolo is still high and has affected learning, Kenya National Union of Teachers Isiolo Secretary, Mohamud Halake, told IRIN on 16 November.

na/aw/mw

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join