Tragedy As Gunmen Shoot And Kill Woman, Two Cows In An Attack In Buuri, Meru County
\Gunmen raided a village in Thare, Buuri, Meru County and killed a woman before escaping with more than 100 livestock.
They also shot and killed two cows as they shot back at a team of police officers who responded to the scene on November 16.
Police said they grabbed 26 cows and 80 goats belonging to several herders before escaping towards Isiolo direction.
The area has been facing increased cases of cattle rustling which turned fatal as herders fight back prompting exchange of fire.
Police said gunmen raided the Manyatta area in Maili Saba, Kithima Location prompting a heavy exchange of gunfire between security officers and the bandits.
The victim is said to be a mentally challenged woman, police said.
The gang escaped with the animals towards Burat Location in Isiolo County.
The woman’s body was taken to Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
Police say they have seen an increase in cattle rustling cases in the area.
Meru is among the areas included in an ongoing operation targeting cattle rustlers.
The others areas are Marsabit, Isiolo, West Pokot, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo.
Despite efforts made to address the menace, it has been persistent.
Last week, the bandits in Isiolo killed three people in separate incidents and escaped with stolen animals.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki had been leading the operations in the area while serving as the Interior Cabinet Secretary vowing to end the menace.
Kindiki said cattle rustling in Northern Kenya has over the years become an organised criminal enterprise responsible for deaths, poverty and displacement.
“Its impacts are severe.
It deprives pastoral communities of their economic mainstay and aggravates the conditions of poverty in the rangelands, fuelling communal grievances and revenge attacks,” he said.
The government has promised more resources in the war against banditry.
To dismantle the infrastructure of cattle rustlers and facilitators he said, the government is sustaining the war on banditry and its perpetrators, enablers, benefactors and beneficiaries by making banditry a painful venture, ensuring recovery of stolen livestock and rewarding facilitators of recoveries.
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