Bandits lay ambush and massacre 21 APs in Kapedo

Turkana, Kenya:  At least 22 police officers and three civilians are feared dead following an early morning attack by suspected Pokot bandits in Turkana East on Saturday.

The incident happened at an area hit by the on-going wave of insecurity at the Kapedo border point between Baringo County and Turkana.

Government sources said the officers and the three employees of Toyota Kenya were heading to Kapedo when the bandits ambushed them at Kasarani area along Kapedo-Lokori road in Turkana East Constituency.

Local leaders from the scene counted 22 paramilitary GSU officers who perished but police in Nairobi said only eight officers and 22 police reservists were killed yesterday morning ambush at Kapedo.

Police confirmed that 17 GSU officers were missing after the attack by bandits in the volatile region, adding that the GSU officers were in a lorry headed to a scene where their three colleagues were killed last Saturday when they were ambushed by the gunmen.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said many other officers were missing following the Saturday morning attack.

"They were ambushed as they went to the area and we have many casualties. We can say about seven are confirmed dead and others are missing," Kimaiyo said at the Wilson Airport before he and Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Lenku flew to the scene at about 4pm yesterday.

The two left to the crime scene after meeting President Kenyatta at State House for briefing. Earlier on, a military chopper had been spotted in the area as it joined the search operation for the missing officers who included those from the Kenya Police Reserve. Kimaiyo said they will conduct a major operation in the area to rid it of all illegal firearms.

Earlier, Red Cross volunteer Boniface Korir told The Standard on Sunday that the 9am incident happened at Lokori area in Kapedo after the bandits attacked the lorry and van ferrying police officers, KPR personnel and civilians.

"Bandits ambushed the lorry which was heading to Kapedo, killing a number of people who were travelling in it. The exact number of people in the lorry has not been confirmed as there are survivors who escaped on foot," said Korir.

He said police officers managed to kill one of the raiders in the shoot-out during which the lorry was burnt to a shell by the raiders.

Korir said the bandits also simultaneously attacked Red Cross personnel who responded to the distress call. Their vehicle, he said, was sprayed with bullets as it negotiated a corner in the volatile area despite having its flag raised.

"Our team was forced to make a U-turn and speed off to safer ground after three bullets hit our car bonnet but we are all safe," he said.

The Red Cross official and local leaders said several Pokot herders were also injured in the exchange of fire that is said to have lasted more than five hours before the unknown number of attackers were overpowered.

Police Spokesperson Masooud Mwinyi told The Standard on Sunday that they had heard the information but needed more time for clarification on the exact number of killings and injuries.

"This is not a small matter. We are contacting our officers on the ground and then in an hour or so, we will brief you on the matter," he told The Standard on Sunday. At the time of going to press, he had not briefed us as promised.

Two years ago, in November 2012, a total of 42 police officers were killed in another ambush by bandits in Samburu in the forest in another incident that left the country in shock and disbelief.

Confirming the incident yesterday, Kapedo Location chief Joseph Lopalal said the officers alongside officials from Toyota Kenya left for Kasarani on aboard the two vehicles to assess a damaged car but never returned to Kapedo.

"We received news about the fate of the officers who had travelled on a GSU lorry and three officials from Toyota on Saturday morning after a police chopper from Nairobi flew over the area and later landed at Lomelo," he said.

Lopalal said the pilot relayed information about the situation on the ground before flying back to Nairobi.

Lomelo chief Henry Ejore said officers from the car company requested for security escort in Kapedo as they left for Kasarani area where one of their vehicles was recently burned.

"We are shocked by the current incident. The civilians from the car company travelled in a white Land Cruiser escorted by a GSU lorry," said Ejore.

A provincial administration officer in Turkana County who sought anonymity confirmed the incident but said they were not sure of the number of the officers killed in the attack.

"We have received information about the death of our officers but the region has poor network coverage, we have to wait until our officers on the ground get the exact information," he said.

Turkana East MP Nicholas Ng'ikor confirmed the attack and said security officers were killed in the attack in what has become a norm in the volatile area.

"We are aware the officers have been killed in what has become a regular incident in the region. The government has failed to protect Turkanas and what is demoralising is that they have failed to protect even their own officers who are killed just like civilians," said Ng'ikor.

West Pokot Senator Prof John Lonyangapuo confirmed the killings, adding that those killed were Turkana Kenya Police Reservists and police officers.

"Information from the ground is that among those killed most of them are Turkana KPRs who wanted to take advantage of the operation and raid Pokots. It is sad that information out there is that all of them are police officers," he said.

Tiaty deputy county commissioner Daniel Kurui also confirmed the attack but said they were yet to get the exact figure of those killed or injured given the volatile nature of the region, which had made it difficult for even officers to access the remote region.

He said they were not yet sure if those killed were police officers or KPRs from the Turkana community.

"It is true an attack occurred this morning at the border between Baringo and Turkana counties but security officers have not managed to access the area. The area is tense at the time but we are working around the clock to ensure that what took place is confirmed,'' he said.

He said communication with ground commanders had been hampered by poor network connectivity in the area indicating that there were real concerns that the fight among the Pokot and Turkana could have led to deaths as they had received intelligence that there were planned attacks by Turkana raiders.

"At this point we are not ruling out anything. It is possible there are people who have been killed because two vehicles which were said to have been ferrying the individuals were set ablaze and we cannot account for the occupants," said Kirui.

Speaking in his Chemolingot office, Kurui revealed that efforts were being put in place to seek assistance from thousands of security officers undertaking a disarmament operation at Kapedo to reach the affected area as soon as possible.

"The raiders took the advantage of the officers held up in the operation to stage the attack, but unfortunately information we received from ground indicates that some of them were not lucky enough and perished during the confrontation," said the commissioner.

He said a team from the Kenya Red Cross was on the ground to try and access the actual situation on the ground.

Daniel Lang'at who is leading the Red Cross team said their volunteers on the ground had experienced difficulties as the bandits attack indiscriminately.

"We have got the report of deaths which could be higher because some parts are not accessible though we are trying our best to get all data. It may take several hours because of the terrain and our security also," said Lang'at.

The Standard team at Kapedo heard gun shots for the better part of Friday afternoon and night and yesterday mid-morning forcing them to retreat to safer ground.

Additional reporting by Cyrus Ombati