Turkana fishermen ambushed by suspected Ethiopian militias

Several people were reportedly killed on Saturday evening in Todonyang, Turkana County, near the Kenya-Ethiopia border. The attack was allegedly carried out by armed militia from Ethiopia’s Dassanech community.

According to reports, the heavily armed group ambushed Turkana fishermen near River Omo on Lake Turkana, firing indiscriminately. Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact number of casualties, but some reports suggest that more than a dozen people may have lost their lives.

On Sunday, the National Police Service announced an investigation into “an alleged clash between Turkana and Dasanach fishermen at Lopemukat Common Waters” along the border. Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen acknowledged that “some Kenyans were harmed.”

“Some of our citizens are unaccounted for and we are working with the Ethiopian government and the Kenya Defence Forces to solve this border issue. There should be no cause for alarm… calm has returned in the area,” Murkomen stated.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo clarified that the attack took place near the border but on the Ethiopian side. He urged the public to disregard unverified reports about the number of casualties, saying, “Ignore the numbers being peddled; that is not the correct position. We will share official information once we confirm everything.”

Some sources suggest the attack may have been a retaliation. Earlier on Saturday morning, suspected Turkana bandits allegedly shot and killed Dassanech fishermen from Ethiopia near River Omo.