Thousands flee as gun battle rocks Moyale

By Ali Abdi

MOYALE, KENYA: Moyale Central remained deserted as two rival sides engaged each other in heavy gun battle that lasted for up to eight hours.

The battle that authorities said even involved usage of machine guns started on Friday at around 6 am and ended at 2pm when a detachment of the Kenya army from Odha camp intervened through mortar attack.

Both Kenya and Ethiopia have deployed heavy security to their common border to prevent fighters from crossing into either side.

More than half of Moyale Central residents, mainly women, children and the elderly have fled to Ethiopia to seek refuge while the remaining were holed up in their houses.

Marsabit County leaders led by Governor Ukur Yattani remained inside Al-Yusra Hotel under heavy protection from the security personnel.

The situation was the same for the County security committee led by County Commissioner Isaiah Nakoru.

Mr Nakoru confirmed the heavy fighting between the Borana on one side and Gabra and Burji on the other adding that the combatants were armed with machine guns and even mortar.

Fighting raged in Butiye, Manyatta Burji, Hellu, Odha and Sesse among other estates. The police station was attacked by the militiamen.
‘‘The bandits from both sides have been fighting for hours in most of the estates surrounding the town. The fighting was intense and heavy. But gunfire shots has stopped now,’’ said the administrator on phone at 2.30 pm on Friday.

After the police and the paramilitary General Service Unit were overwhelmed, the army moved in. To separate the rival sides, the army reported used mortar to separate them.

‘‘The army was moving to secure the border but came under attack from the fighters and responded,’’ he said. When asked whether the army used mortar he quipped; ‘‘they came under attack from the same weapon’’.

Interviewed residents said the death toll from the fighting is in the range of dozens while Nakoru said police were yet to go to the scenes to establish the number.