Kenyan police arrest 3 over inter-tribal clashes in border region

Kenyan police said Wednesday they are interrogating three suspects linked to a local militia group in connection with inter-ethnic clashes in Garissa pitting two rival clans in the area.

During the clashes in Dujis, Balambala constituency on Monday, one person was killed and several others injured as hundreds fled the area fearing for their lives.

Garissa County Commissioner James Kianda said security personnel are pursuing five other suspects, three believed to be behind the skirmishes. The other two are militiamen who were behind the attack.

Kianda said one of the militiamen was killed while engaging security personnel who were dispatched to calm the skirmishes. He said several houses were touched, but no civilian lost his/her live as earlier reported.

He said anyone holding illegal weapons should surrender to the government failure to which the law will take its course.

"We are determined this time round to mop all illegally held firearms in the wrong hands. I urge those with illicit arms to hid warning seriously because we will not allow a few individuals to endanger the peace of innocent Kenyans," Kianda said.

He said normalcy has returned to the town and security personnel are patrolling the area although "there are reported threats".

"We are not taking chances and we shall remain on the ground until we are satisfied that there is no threat to the lives and property of area residents," Kianda said.

He urged area residents and political leaders to tolerate each other, noting that with the current drought competition for water and pasture for livestock and human use will heighten tension.

"I want to appeal to the clan members to be tolerant to each other and share God given natural resources because no one community can claim sole ownership of water and pasture," he noted. Endite