Six people were brutally killed and eight others sustained serious injuries on Tuesday, January 14, 2026, during a bandit attack in the Illeret area of Marsabit County, near the Kenya-Ethiopia border.
The assailants, believed to have crossed into Kenya from Ethiopia’s Hamar villages, targeted residents of the Dasnach community in El-Anybura village.
Police reports indicate that the attackers made off with approximately 500 cattle and over 1400 goats, while dozens of other animals were shot dead during the raid.
Four of the attackers were also killed in a confrontation as locals resisted the incursion, with the remaining raiders retreating back into Ethiopia with the stolen livestock.
The injured, including three teenagers, are currently receiving medical treatment at Bubua Health Centre in Ethiopia for gunshot wounds.
This incident highlights the persistent challenges of cross-border banditry and livestock theft in the remote Illeret region, where communities frequently interact across the Kenya-Ethiopia boundary.
Marsabit County is part of Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a multi-agency security initiative aimed at curbing banditry in several northern Kenyan counties.
While authorities claim the operation has reduced crime in some areas, sporadic attacks continue to plague the region.
In response to the attack, security personnel were deployed to the area to prevent potential revenge attacks and restore stability.
Ethiopian authorities have also sent a delegation to Kenya for joint consultations, a step that officials hope will help de-escalate tensions between the communities.
Efforts are underway to track and recover the stolen animals, as families in the area begin burial arrangements for the victims.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has previously emphasized the government’s commitment to long-term solutions, including community involvement in combating livestock theft and promoting lawful economic activities.
